Ice Cream In Sensory Experiences (Based On English)

Abstract

Olfactory, gustatory and tactile modalities are turning into a steady trend of multidisciplinary research. The investigation of these modalities in world languages might reveal language universals and lacunas, contribute to studies of synesthesia in cognition and communication, entail compiling sensorial glossaries. Packaging of gustatory modality differs a lot in world languages depending on foodstuff, ingredients source, diet, food culture. Sensorial perception of ice cream, a globally popular treat, might be a promising object for comparative, typological and cognitive studies in Linguistics, for the analysis of combinability and frequency of sensorial lexemes, rise of new intensifiers, multisensoriality, hierarchy of senses, low/ high intensity, i.e. scalability of sensory words. It might contribute to more effective advertising based on sensorial experience and expectations in different language communities. Comparison of sensorial lexemes with positive and negative evaluative meaning will help to reveal the gap in ice cream properties promoted by the companies and assessed by customers in reviews. Ice cream perception is complex and characterized by multisensoriality. To describe ice cream perception in sensory modalities in English advertisements, customers’ reviews, articles in the newspapers were analyzed. Two parameters of the ice cream perception— taste and texture — look the most important because in advertisements, reviews, comments gustatory and tactile modalities are mentioned as the most important characteristics of the dessert. Visual perception of ice cream turns out to be less significant and yields to other sensations. Audio modality becomes significant if ice cream is sold in a waffle cone. Olfactory modality turns out the least significant. “Taste” adjectives with positive evaluation — delicious, scrumptious, indulgent, luscious, sweet enjoy high frequency. Audio modality is expressed via adjectives crunchy, cracking, crispy. Tactile modality is conveyed mostly via creamy and smooth (positive evaluative meaning), icy, glacial, watery, gritty, gummy, foamy, airy (negative evaluative meaning). Deliciously, velvety are used as intensifiers in flavor descriptions.