The theory which maintains that the primitive elements of language are reflex expressions induced by sensory impressions; that is, as stated by Max Muller, the creative faculty gave to each general conception as it thrilled for the first time through the brain a phonetic expression; -- jocosely so called from the analogy of the sound of a bell induced by the stroke of the clapper.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). dingdong theory. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/dingdong_theory/definitions/1997789 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "dingdong theory" http://smartdefine.org/dingdong_theory/definitions/1997789 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
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| MLA | Webster's. "dingdong theory" 27 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/dingdong_theory/definitions/1997789> |