Draggletail Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 14 minutes ago, el_spectre said: I suppose I meant the ones everyone knows about, where certain words have auras, or numbers and days of the week have defined, unchanging colours. I'm not sure that everyone knows about these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_spectre Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Just now, cressida said: Re your comment about words having 'auras' there are words I particularly like e.g. fragrance, frisson, renaissance and convalescence, essence. I'm an English teacher by training, and it's interesting to note that all of the words you've put here have sibilance - soft 's' sounds. ('Sibilance' is itself a sibilant word!) Writers, or anyone, really, use sibilance to either soothe or to create a sinister hissing effect, depending on atmosphere, mood etc. It's interesting to think about whether that's related to synaesthesia or not. If so, then everyone has it. I used to do an activity with secondary school students of all ages to show them how the sounds of words affect us: I gave them two invented words and told them to draw what came into their heads. Almost 100% of kids draw "malooma" as something soft and round, whereas "itchari" is spiky and hard. In the same way, swear words can be satisfying or feel appropriate to use when we're angry or frustrated because they're generally short and contain hard sounds that convey our emotions. Sorry - went off on one there, but I hope that all seems connected to what you wrote! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggletail Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 5 minutes ago, cressida said: Re your comment about words having 'auras' there are words I particularly like e.g. fragrance, frisson, renaissance and convalescence, essence. That's really interesting, you have a 'feel' for these words... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cressida Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Spanish people when they speak in English have a hissing sssssss sound, have you noticed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggletail Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 I have what could be described as the opposite of synaesthesia. I have Aphantasia and didn't know that I had it until well into adulthood. So, most probably whoever is reading this can close their eyes and see/visualise their loved ones, or visualise passed events in their life. When I close my eyes and remember things it's blackness, no pictures, visualisation. I have the memories and emotions associated with the memories but no pictures—just blackness. There's a really funny article linked below about a bloke discovering that he had Aphantasia and explains it really well, it's not a long read. https://www.facebook.com/notes/2862324277332876/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_spectre Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Just now, Draggletail said: I have what could be described as the opposite of synaesthesia. I have Aphantasia and didn't know that I had it until well into adulthood. So, most probably whoever is reading this can close their eyes and see/visualise their loved ones, or visualise passed events in their life. When I close my eyes and remember things it's blackness, no pictures, visualisation. I have the memories and emotions associated with the memories but no pictures—just blackness. There's a really funny article linked below about a bloke discovering that he had Aphantasia and explains it really well, it's not a long read. https://www.facebook.com/notes/2862324277332876/ I have a friend with aphanthasia - she didn't realise she had it until her mid-30s. I'd not heard about it until then. She enjoys writing fiction, and I'm really interested that she's able to do that without visualising the world and characters in her mind. I'll definitely read the article! Before you realised you had it, did you think terms like "mind's eye" and "picture it" were just metaphors/cliches/turns of phrase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_spectre Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 He writes, 'I can’t read this in Morgan Freeman’s voice, nor can I “hear” the theme song to Star Wars in any sort of “mind’s ear.”' Wow! I'd never considered this element before! So you don't get songs stuck in your head? You are immune to Baby Shark 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggletail Posted July 23 Author Share Posted July 23 1 minute ago, el_spectre said: I have a friend with aphanthasia - she didn't realise she had it until her mid-30s. I'd not heard about it until then. She enjoys writing fiction, and I'm really interested that she's able to do that without visualising the world and characters in her mind. I'll definitely read the article! Before you realised you had it, did you think terms like "mind's eye" and "picture it" were just metaphors/cliches/turns of phrase? Put it like this, when I was a child and couldn't sleep my Mum used to tell me to imagine seeing sheep jumping over fences and it didn't work! But yes, just metaphors/cliches/turns of phrase. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_spectre Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 It's so fascinating learning how other people's minds work and how they experience things. Thanks! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cressida Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Sheep jumping doesn't work, trying to remember lists, things I'm expecting from ebay does. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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