Reexamines the concept of semiotic modeling systems as conceived by members of the Moscow-Tartu School of semiotics of culture. The metaphoric use of the term language in the broad sense equivalent to the modeling system is discussed and qualified. (Author/JL)

Focuses on nicknames used with positive social intent to test whether positive nicknames follow more closely the phonological trends in phonasthetic English words. Findings indicate evidence of particular consonantal and vocalic preferences in nicknames as well as trends in stress and syllabic structure, suggesting evidence of sound-symbolism at…