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Language does provide support for basic tastes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2008

Asifa Majid  and
Stephen C. Levinson
Asifa Majid
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6500AH, The Netherlands. [email protected]://www.mpi.nl/Members/[email protected]://www.mpi.nl/Members/StephenLevinson
Stephen C. Levinson
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6500AH, The Netherlands. [email protected]://www.mpi.nl/Members/[email protected]://www.mpi.nl/Members/StephenLevinson
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Abstract

Recurrent lexicalization patterns across widely different cultural contexts can provide a window onto common conceptualizations. The cross-linguistic data support the idea that sweet, salt, sour, and bitter are basic tastes. In addition, umami and fatty are likely basic tastes, as well.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , February 2008 , pp. 86 - 87
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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