An experimental approach to iconicity in Dutch strong and weak verb morphology

In Dutch, some verbs can vary in their preterite and past participle form. These either take the strong inflection (using ablaut, e.g. schuilen-school-gescholen ‘hide-hid-hidden’) or weak (adding a dental suffix, schuilen-schuilde-geschuild ‘hide-hid-hidden’). diachronic corpus study, De Smet Van de Velde (2020) show that this variation be exapted to express aspect an iconic manner. Their results indicate preterites are used more often durative contexts, while shorter variants punctual contexts. For participles, pattern is reversed: longer paper, we seek experimental validation of these results. Furthermore, also distinguish between singulars plurals, as expect iconicity effect less obvious for latter, given difference length plural negligible (e.g. schuilden vs. scholen). Participants were presented with forced choice task where they had choose participles nonce sentences suggesting context. Though no general on verb was found, trend particular group supports from (2020). durative-punctual distinction found portrayed yet another manner: forms vowels sound symbolically associated slow long movements quick, short