Priming and polysemy
It has been observed in psychological studies of lexical priming, that polysemous words (in English, “bug”, “pit”, “fall”) sometimes force a processing delay, as the mind entertains several meanings. It would be interesting to consider these polysemous words as pivots. In musical modulation, pivot chords often serve similarly ambiguous (polysemous) roles. They are valid (diatonic) chords in the two keys. It is their dual roles that permits them to serve as pivots. A study of polysemous words in discourse as serving such a modulating role, in with the polysemous nature of pivot chords in musical modulation, might be a fruitful avenue to pursue.
Eric Ederer said,
April 17, 2006 @ 3:02 pm
Terrific idea! As an ethnomusicologist I’m researching a transfer of symbolic meaning (Otherness) ascribed to a particular musical instrument in Turkey, and its recent shift in associations from several minority ethnic groups (Others in re: Turks) to the majority ethnic Turks (Others in re: Europeans). Not ostensibly a language question, but I think the concept here will be very useful to me… please let me know whom I may credit the idea.
Thanks!
Eric Ederer