Comment Or a convergence? (Score 1) 16
it may be evidence of an innate perceptual bias that goes back way farther in our evolutionary history than previously believed. "We parted with birds on the evolutionary line 300 million years ago," says Aleksandra Cwiek, a linguist at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru, Poland, who was not involved in the study. "It's just mind-blowing."
What if bouba and kiki just sound similar to things in reality? bouba sounds like flowing water, which happens to have round curvy portions, including bubbles (named in English with a similar sound). kiki sounds close to crystalline structures breaking; glass, ice, etc. This results in sharp angles. Instinctively knowing that "bouba" type sounds might indicate water is useful to all life with ears. Knowing that "kiki" means "sharp" seems more useful for staying away from things though.
