1.2.2 ARBITRARINESS The word arbitrary means that there is no logical or necessary relationship between the sounds of words and their meanings. We cannot predict what a word means from its sounds. If we hear the word"tree" we hear three sound"t" followed by"r" and"ee We know what this word means because we learned to associate a certain meaning with this combination of sounds. If we hear the word"ton na:y" in Thai we also know what it means. But if we hear the word"ki" in Japanese of"arbol" in Spanish, how do we know that each one also means"tree"? We have to learn the meaning along with the sound. There is nothing in the sounds of these words("tree," "ton ma:y," "ki" and"arbol") that tells us that each of these words refers to the same thing. A tree does not change if we call it"tree," "ton ma y," "ki" and"arbol" Only the sounds change depending on the language. The connection between the word and its meaning is arbitrary This means we must learn to associate a meaning with