Language of perception and emotion 3301-JF2626-2ST
Categories encoded in language are a window onto our everyday perceptual and emotional experiences. In this course, we will survey the vocabularies of the senses and emotions across the world’s languages, asking which of their aspects are universal and which ones vary across languages and why. For example, is there a universal hierarchy of the senses in language, in which some senses (e.g., vision and hearing) have more elaborate lexicons and are easier to express than others (e.g., touch, taste, and smell)? And, does talking about emotional experiences across cultures center primarily on emotion labels (e.g., anger, sadness, joy) and other mental states, or rather on bodily and interpersonal aspects?
We will also consider how linguistic data from a diverse sample of languages relate to selected psychological theories and philosophical thought on perception and emotion, as well as which factors contribute to the shaping of semantic categories in language. The course will cover typological surveys, revealing recurrent cross-linguistic patterns, and individual case studies, illustrating the diversity of semantic categories in language. We will also explore how the study of meaning can be enriched by diverse disciplinary perspectives and methodologies from across linguistics, psychology, and anthropology.
Topics will include: introduction to semantic typology and other approaches to studying the language of the senses and emotions; the language of color, sound, taste, smell, and pain; the language of emotions, including abstract emotion lexicons, metaphor, ethnosemantics and ‘idioms of distress’ in the context of mental health, and bodily/somatic referencing in descriptions of emotions.
All assignments must be carried out independently by the student. The use of generative artificial intelligence tools is forbidden at all stages of the work. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom is governed by the rules set forth in Resolution No. 16 of the Teaching Council for the programs English Studies, English Studies – Linguistics, and English Studies – Literature and Culture of 9 December 2025:
https://ia.uw.edu.pl/fileadmin/ilustracje/dokumenty/rada_dydaktyczna/RD_IA_2025_UCHWALA_nr16_narzedzia_AI_nowelizacja_ZAL2.pdf
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Students will have in-depth familiarity with:
K_W01 advanced terminology, theory and research methods corresponding to the state of the art in research on language of perception and emotion, in accordance with their chosen specialization (and educational path)
- K_W04 concepts and principles concerning the protection of intellectual property and copyright
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 apply the advanced terminology, theories and methods of research on language of perception and emotion to solve complex and original research problems in accordance with his/her chosen specialization (and educational path)
K_U04 apply the concepts and principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K01 critically appraise their knowledge and content obtained from various sources
K_K02 recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems; consult experts when required
*** Applies to students who began their studies in the year 2022/2023 ***
Knowledge
Students will have in-depth familiarity with:
K_W01 Universal tendencies and significant cross-linguistic differences in the area of language of perception and emotion
K_W02 Describe on an advanced level the current trends in linguistic research on language of perception and emotion
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 Apply advanced terminology and notions pertinent to research on language of perception and emotion
K_U04 Analyze linguistic phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis in the context of cultural factors on an advanced level
K_U09 Present knowledge in a coherent, precise and linguistically correct manner in English on level C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, ensuring an appropriate register and form
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K02 Apply knowledge and skills obtained during the course of studies to undertake lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional development
K_K03 Take responsibility for performing one’s professional duties, with due respect for the work of others, obey and develop the ethical norms in professional and academic settings related to the disciplines included on the curriculum of English studies
K_K04 Assess critically one’s own knowledge and skills related to the studies
Assessment criteria
- Oral assessment (50%): An oral assessment verifying knowledge and understanding of the topics discussed in class. The required materials for the assessment will be the assigned readings and lecture slides.
(learning outcomes verification: W, U, K)
- Sense diary (30%): Keeping a sense diary with descriptions of selected personal sensory experiences (e.g., smells, sounds, images) (1 entry per week for 5 weeks), along with a short report (250–300 words) summarizing personal observations about sensory experiences and ease with which they can be expressed in language. The aim of this assignment is to develop awareness of these experiences and connect them with the theories and research discussed in the course.
(learning outcomes verification: W, U, K)
- Presentation on untranslatable emotion concepts (20%): Preparing a short (5–10 minute) presentation on a selected emotion concept unique to a given language agreed upon in advance with the instructor (e.g., kreng jai in Thai). The aim is to introduce its meaning and relate it to the socio-cultural context of the given language, drawing on academic sources.
(learning outcomes verification: W, U, K)
Reading the assigned texts is mandatory for participation in class.
Bibliography
Akita, K. (2025). Ideophones are more reliable than metaphors in Japanese pain descriptions. Language and Cognition, 17, e7.
Berlin, B., & Kay, P. (1969). Basic color terms: Their universality and evolution. University of California Press.
Classen, C. (1999). Other ways to wisdom: Learning through the senses across cultures. International Review of Education, 45(3-4), 269–280.
Dixon, T. (2012). “Emotion”: The history of a keyword in crisis. Emotion Review, 4(4), 338–344.
Dzokoto, V. A., & Okazaki, S. (2006). Happiness in the eye and the heart: Somatic referencing in West African emotion lexica. Journal of Black Psychology, 32(2), 17–140.
Enfield, N. J., & Wierzbicka, A. (Eds.) (2002). The body in description of emotion: Cross-linguistic studies. Pragmatics and Cognition, 10 (Special Issue).
Evans, N. (2011). Semantic typology. W J. J. Song (Red.), The Oxford handbook of linguistic typology (s. 504–533). Oxford University Press.
Hoemann, K., Gendron, M., Crittenden, A. N., Mangola, S. M., Endeko, E. S., Dussault, È., Barrett, L. F., & Mesquita, B. (2023). What we can learn about emotion by talking with the Hadza. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 19(1), 173–200.
Jackson, J. C., Watts, J., Henry, T. R., List, J.-M., Forkel, R., Mucha, P. J., Greenhill, S. J., Gray, R. D., & Lindquist, K. A. (2019). Emotion semantics show both cultural variation and universal structure. Science, 366(6472), 1517–1522.
Kirmayer, L. J. (1992). The body’s insistence on meaning: Metaphor as presentation and representation in illness experience. Medical anthropology quarterly, 6(4), 323–346.
Majid, A., & Levinson, S. C. (2008). Language does provide support for basic tastes. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(01).
Majid, A., Roberts, S. G., Cilissen, L., Emmorey, K., Nicodemus, B., O’Grady, L., Woll, B., LeLan, B., Sousa, H. de, Cansler, B. L., Shayan, S., Vos, C. de, Senft, G., Enfield, N. J., Razak, R. A., Fedden, S., Tufvesson, S., Dingemanse, M., Ozturk, O., … Levinson, S. C. (2018). Differential coding of perception in the world’s languages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(45), 11369–11376.
Malt, B. C., & Majid, A. (2013). How thought is mapped into words. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 4(6), 583–597.
Mesquita, B. (2022). Between us: How cultures create emotions (First edition). W.W. Norton & Company.
Viberg, Å. (1984). The verbs of perception: A typological study. In B. Butterworth, B. Comrie, & Ö. Dahl (Eds.), Explanations for language universals (pp. 123–162). Mouton de Gruyter.
Wnuk, E., & Ito, Y. (2021). The heart’s downward path to happiness: Cross-cultural diversity in spatial metaphors of affect. Cognitive Linguistics, 32(2), 195-218.
Wnuk, E., & Wodowski, J. (2024). Culture shapes how we describe facial expressions. Scientific Reports, 14, 21589.