Tarbiat Modares University Language Related Research 2322-3081 Articles in Press 2026 09 23 A Cognitive Approach to Sound Symbolism on the Basis of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory A Cognitive Approach to Sound Symbolism on the Basis of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory 7177 10.48311/lrr.2025.7177 FA Saleh Tabatabai Tarbiat Modares University Arsalan Golfam Tarbiat Modares University Hayat Ameri Tarbiat Modares University 0000-0002-2627-3862 Journal Article 2025 07 13 Defined as a direct, non-conventional link between sound and meaning, the linguistic phenomenon of sound symbolism has empirically been studied for nearly 100 years, and multiple studies have been conducted to reveal the various aspects of the phenomenon. However, no significant studies have done to explain exactly why the phenomenon transpires. That is partly because it has not been studied on the basis of any semantic analysis and/or theory. Nevertheless, the American linguist Edward Sapir first pinpointed the two likely factors that can both or separately be involved in the phenomenon: the acoustic factor, or the articulatory factor (or a combination of both). On the basis of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) in Cognitive Semantics, the current paper attempts to explain for the first time how either of the factors or both of them can contribute to the occurrence of the phenomenon. Thus, the question why sound symbolism happens may find a satisfactory answer. Moreover, the answer may pave the way for further theoretical considerations on the potential development of "cognitive" phonology. Defined as a direct, non-conventional link between sound and meaning, the linguistic phenomenon of sound symbolism has empirically been studied for nearly 100 years, and multiple studies have been conducted to reveal the various aspects of the phenomenon. However, no significant studies have done to explain exactly why the phenomenon transpires. That is partly because it has not been studied on the basis of any semantic analysis and/or theory. Nevertheless, the American linguist Edward Sapir first pinpointed the two likely factors that can both or separately be involved in the phenomenon: the acoustic factor, or the articulatory factor (or a combination of both). On the basis of the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) in Cognitive Semantics, the current paper attempts to explain for the first time how either of the factors or both of them can contribute to the occurrence of the phenomenon. Thus, the question why sound symbolism happens may find a satisfactory answer. Moreover, the answer may pave the way for further theoretical considerations on the potential development of "cognitive" phonology.