Onomatopoeia in representing the semantics of love, affection, and gender relations

The paper describes the sound symbolic nature of linguistic units with the semantics of love, affection, gender relations in German and Russian. It is known that onomatopoeic words with the semantics of blow, the physiological sound of the body and the sounds of speech in German and Russian languages regularly form associated with love, affection, and gender relations. In most cases, this type of semantics is expressed by combination of plosives and sonorants sounds, and also vibrants. Inter-relation between sound and meaning, as well as the soundiconic functions of phonotypes is clarified: voiceless fricative sounds – reflection of pejorativeness, less often – femininity (dearness and softness); explosive and vibrant sounds – reflection of strong feelings, pressure, perseverance, aggressiveness in a relationship