29/01/10









(...) The spatial language of verticality is used to describe pitches of sound, which have affective connotations. High register tones and tone intervals are judged to be more positive than are those in a low register and music with higher pitches can be used to induce a positive mood while music in a lower range can be used to induce a negative mood (Gabrielsson & Lindström, 2001). The description of sound in terms of vertical position is itself metaphorical; “high” pitches are not spatially high. This is a common metaphor of pitch, but it is not universal. Zbikowski (1998) notes that in Bali and Java, pitches are not “high” and “low” but rather “small” and “large,” and that the Amazonian Suya describe them as “young” and “old.” These metaphors may both stem from the fact that children have higher pitched voices. Zbikowski speculates that the verticality metaphor of pitchmay stem from the resonance of the human voice, as low sounds are felt lower in the chest than are high sounds. (...)

(In Crawford, E., L., 2009 - Conceptual Metaphors of Affect)