‘BUTTERFLY’ [See Motor Theory: Basic propositions]

The list of words for ‘butterfly’ in 204 languages on Pam and Jack Mikula's website How Do You Say "Butterfly"? offers a valuable new opportunity to test the application of the motor theory of language to the origin of individual words. For a systematic account of the motor theory go to Language and Evolution

The different words for ‘butterfly’ in the list come from many unrelated languages (though wide similarities can be seen across language families). On the motor theory, the words all derive from visual perception of the characteristic pattern of flight of the butterfly; the words are not arbitrary but reflect the structure of what is seen. The articulatory (motor) pattern of the word is directly related to the visual or motor pattern of an object or action; the gesture associated with each word mirrors the meaning of the object or action word. In the case of words listed for ‘butterfly’, the associated bodily gesture generated by the sound-structure of each word is a flapping movement of the arms and hands which represents the flight of the butterfly (a parallel pattern is seen in sign languages forms).

So far 78 of the words in the List have been checked (using the method described in Language and Evolution). All the words tested generate the same gesture representing the flight pattern of the butterfly

To see an animation of the gesture generated by words for butterfly click here.

To see the sign language gesture click here.