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29 Stella T. Zhivkova | Sound Symbolism of Japanese Onomatopoeia as a Determining Factor... surface”. The second consonant contributes to the “softness” of the kusu-kusu laughter. Thus, the meanings of the first and second obstruents are apparently iconically rooted in the tactile properties and motor aspects of the articulators. Similarly, the liquid glide /r/ connotes “rolling” (Hamano 1998: 170-1).In this way, the pronunciation of onomatopoeic words replicates physical features of the objects they represent. The points raised so far can be brought together under the general concept of interaction of human anatomy and speech acoustics; the result of this interaction is what I call sound-iconicity, namely, the mode-mimetic properties of Japanese onomatopoeic words rooted in the intrinsic sound-symbolism of their vowels and consonants. Being “words before other words”, “bodily words”, and “sensitivity words” (Osaka 1999:1, 11) onomatopoeic words are simple forms of speech which reflect bodily sensations; and since humans become aware of physical sensations long before they start to understand the sounds of language, onomatopoeic words are “sensed” rather than “understood.” The latter is the cornerstone of my reasoning about language acquisition, understanding, and the consequent active use of mimetic words. According to Osaka, onomatopoeic words are the first elements to take clear-cut shape in the lexical apparatus of infants (Osaka 1999: 11). Another author, Hinata, ascribes them the function of evoking what he calls “physiognomistic images” (Hinata 1986). The original Japanese definition is sōbōtekiimeejikanki ( 相貌的イメージ喚起 ). Osaka addresses the image-evoking power and extreme expressiveness of onomatopoeic words with their extremely narrow realm of application (Osaka 1999: 17). Although mimetic words are highly charged with emotional and sensual meaning, they have a quite limited connotative use. Thus, the use of a certain onomatopoeic word is also restricted to predictably similar circumstances. Consequently, the use of a certain mimetic word in certain situations contributes to the establishment of predetermined connotations of the word itself, as well as of the sounds which constitute it. By means of activating the sensory imagination, gitaigo and giongo set the brain and body to work in reconstructing what is described by them. It is right to believe that onomatopoeic words enforce the lexical memory by supplying sensitive elements to words to animate them with extra-rational feelings. Thus g itaigo and giseigo are easy to memorize and recollect; they invoke “echoes” of situations and moods. They are easily incorporated in comic books because by their nature they are image-generating. I find it very