IcoLL2026 is the joint conference of the 4th Iconicity Seminar (IcoSem) and the 15th International Symposium on Iconicity in Language and Literature (ILL). For the first time, the two international conferences on iconicity will take place together on 21-23 February 2026 hosted by the Nagoya University Graduate School of Humanities.

Invited speakers

Noburo Saji

A Structural Perspective on Relational Similarity in Iconicity

See abstract

This presentation explores the potential of a structural approach to account for the motivation behind iconicity. Previous studies on iconicity have identified two major types of similarity: direct (perceptual) similarity and relational similarity (Dingemanse, 2011; Iida & Akita, 2024). Direct similarity refers to similarities between distinct entities based on shared features along specific dimensions (e.g., shape or sound). In contrast, relational similarity involves the structural alignment between the relationships among elements (e.g., shape-shape-relationships and sound-sound relationships). Researchers have noted that cross-modal iconicity must be understood from the perspective of relational similarity (Ahlner & Zlatev, 2011; Marks, 1989). While the psychological basis of relational similarity has been extensively studied, its application to iconicity research remains underdeveloped.　In this context, the present study draws attention to a structural approach, which has recently gained prominence in consciousness research. This approach investigates properties of unobservable phenomena—such as subjective experience—by analyzing the relational structure among surrounding elements, rather than attempting to access the target phenomenon directly (e.g., Kawakita et al., 2024). Using examples of cross-modal iconicity, this presentation examines how structural consistency across modalities can be evaluated, and discusses the implications of this approach for understanding the relational foundations of iconic mappings.

Ahlner, F., & Zlatev, J. (2010). Cross-modal iconicity: A cognitive semiotic approach to sound symbolism. Sign Systems Studies, 38(1/4), 298–348.
Dingemanse, M. (2011). The Meaning and Use of Ideophones in Siwu [PhD dissertation, Radboud University.
Iida, H., & Akita, K. (2024). Iconicity emerges from language experience: Evidence from Japanese ideophones and their English equivalents. Cognitive Science, 48(12), Article e70031. https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.70031
Kawakita, G., Zeleznikow-Johnston, A., Takeda, K., Tsuchiya, N., & Oizumi, M. (2025). Is my “red” your “red”?: Evaluating structural correspondences between color similarity judgments using unsupervised alignment. iScience, 28(3), 112029.
Marks, L. E. (1989). On cross-modal similarity: The perceptual structure of pitch, loudness, and brightness. Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance, 15(3), 586–602.

Mutsumi Imai

Iconicity bootstrapping hypothesis for the acquisition and evolution of language

See abstract

This talk refines Imai and Kita’s (2014) “sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis” that states that iconic sound–meaning associations help children start acquiring spoken language and may also reside in the origin of human language. Iconicity, not limited to sound symbolism, tells children that linguistic forms are paired with meanings, and they expand and adjust their linguistic knowledge through an abductive reasoning. This self-driven developmental cycle may make humans different from other species.

Imai, Mutsumi, and Sotaro Kita. “The sound symbolism bootstrapping hypothesis for language acquisition and language evolution.” Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological sciences 369.1651 (2014): 20130298.

Pamela Perniss

Harnessing iconicity for language learning

See abstract

There is growing evidence that iconicity is an important feature of language and that it plays a role in language learning and processing. The mechanisms by and conditions under which this is the case, however, remain poorly understood. In this talk, I bring together various strands of research from both spoken and signed languages as well as L1 and L2 acquisition to provide an account of how and why iconicity can be harnessed for language learning. I use comparisons of iconicity in sign and gesture, and exploration of the relationship between iconicity and transparency, as well as cross-linguistic comparisons of iconicity in the lexicon of sign languages to help approach an understanding of the role of iconicity in supporting referential mapping and conceptual representation. From a theoretical perspective, I discuss the relationship between iconicity as structure-mapping and as a bridge between language and the world.

Neil Cohn

Iconicity and visual languages in a multimodal language faculty (Note: Changed to virtual presentation)

See abstract

For the past century, language has been considered as an amodal and arbitrary system that is mutable across different modalities. Yet, this view is confounded by multimodality (speech-gesture, text-images) and the full range of signification displayed by communicative systems (iconicity, indexicality, and symbolicity). Here, I first present a model of a multimodal language faculty which intrinsically maintains the vocal, bodily, and graphic modalities in parallel, and inherently embeds Peircean semiotics into its architecture. I will then show how this model not only enables a proliferation of signification in both the vocal and bodily modalities, but also specifies how linguistic structures emerge in pictorial systems, particularly in the rich conventionalization of visual languages of graphic systems across the world. Altogether, this approach heralds a re-understanding of what language is and the basic assumptions held about its properties.

Registration

Click here for registration.

Registration deadlines:

1 December for presenters and those wishing to participate in the Ghibli Park tour
31 January for non-presenters wishing to participate in the conference dinner
20 February for all other non-presenters

Call for papers

See call for papers (now closed)

Theme: Variations and Dynamics in Iconicity

We invite abstracts of any academic work on iconicity, the resemblance between form and meaning, in language or literature. We particularly invite contributions that explore the multifaceted nature of iconicity, encompassing its variations and dynamics across different conceptual domains, languages, cultures, and developmental stages. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Iconicity in the speech signal (sound symbolism, phonaesthemes, ideophones)
Iconicity in grammar and text
Iconicity in literature
Iconicity in sign languages
Iconicity in gestures
Iconicity in pictures and other visual media
Iconicity in music
Iconicity in narration
Iconicity in imagination (mental imagery)
Iconicity across sensory modalities (multimodality and cross-modality)
Iconicity in language evolution
Iconicity in child development
Iconicity among different forms of intelligence (animals, humans, AI, etc.)

After the conference, the presenters will be invited to submit a post-conference proceedings paper to the Iconicity in Language and Literature series (John Benjamins).

Program

Program (as of 2026-02-04) (pdf)

List of poster presentations

Format of the conference

IcoLL2026 is an in-person conference without virtual participation, although some virtual presentations may be permitted in exceptional cases.

Due to the difficulty of finding an English-to-JSL interpreter with expertise in linguistics and literature, we will unfortunately not be able to provide interpretation in Japanese Sign Language. In order to increase accessibility, however, we will provide live caption in English via Microsoft Teams.

Participation fee

The participation fee is 8,000 yen for students and 15,000 yen for non-students, to be paid by cash on site.

The fee is waived for participants studying or working at a institution of a low income or lower middle income country (as defined by World Bank).

Maps of the venue

About Nagoya

Nagoya is a city located in central Japan, easily accessible from Tokyo or Osaka.

The nearest international airports are:

Chubu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya) - 1 hour to Nagoya University
Kansai International Airport (Osaka) - 3 hours
Haneda Airport (Tokyo) - 3 hours
Narita International Airport (Tokyo) - 4 hours

The attractions in Nagoya and nearby cities include:

We plan to arrange a group tour to the Ghibli Park for the participants who are interested. Please let the organizers know well before the conference, as the park is very popular and the tickets typically need to be booked two months in advance.

Suggested hotels

Below are some of the hotels we suggest for your stay in Nagoya. (The venue, Nagoya University, is shown in red.)

Organizers

Links

Join our Facebook group for iconicity