Explorando manifestações de simbolismo sonoro em três línguas Tupí: Suruí Paitér, Mbyá Tambeopé e Nhandeva Txiripá

This article deals with sound symbolism in three Tupian languages, Surui Paiter, Nhandewa Txiripa and Mbya Tambeope. One of the main focus is the process of ablaut involved in the expression of physical and psychological attenuation of the semantic of Surui Paiter words. It is argued that attenuation in these languages is controlled by the speaker’s will and is pragmatically motivated. The data supporting the analysis corroborate the view that high vowels and palatalization are common in sound symbolism expressions of diminutives and attenuatives across languages (Sapir 1911, 1929; Ultan 1978).