Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
1-2001
Abstract
Past research (Ervin, 1972; Konishi, 1993) suggests that a noun's linguistic gender is not just an arbitrary, semantically-empty linguistic category. Rather it may connote masculine or feminine properties, and thus can subtly influence responses to the noun and its referent. The present study extended this research by exploring how gendered radicals of nonsense Chinese characters might affect the characters' connotations. The results showed that when an unfamiliar Chinese character is encountered, meaning interpretation can be affected by the meaning of the radicals. Moreover, since gendered Chinese radicals are linked to share representations of psychological gender, such as representation may then affect the character's connotations.
Discipline
Asian Studies | Multicultural Psychology | Social Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Journal of Psychology in Chinese Societies
Volume
2
Issue
1
First Page
107
Last Page
117
ISSN
1563-3403
Publisher
Hong Kong Psychological Society
Citation
TONG, Yuk-Yue, CHIU, Chi-Yue, & FU, Ho-Ying.(2001). Linguistic Gender is Related to Psychological Gender: The Case of Chinese Characters. Journal of Psychology in Chinese Societies, 2(1), 107-117.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/281
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