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<\/a>Nickel artwork by Uwe Pfaff<\/p><\/div>\n
However, the latest, most subtle form of name generation involves utilising sound symbolism \u2013 crafting combinations of\u00a0vowels and consonants whose “sound packages” are\u00a0tagged phonemes by linguists.<\/p>\n
Sound\u00a0associates not only with meanings but also emotions. For example, Laurentian’s Dr Whissel has proven how\u00a0the sounds “l” and\u00a0“s” are associated with pleasant feelings. Studies have shown that symbolism within\u00a0phonemes (and the clustering of meaning) cuts across all cultures. Choosing a good hybridised name imbued with sound symbolism therefore ensures that prospects (potential customers) will\u00a0subliminally understand the qualities of the brand irrespective of their national language. <\/p>\n
This universality might suggest to esoteric linguists the premise of a universal tongue, long forgotten, as per the Tower of Babel myth. It’s actually simpler than that and is a consequence of our shared anatomy beyond racial skin type. Speech is a function of our articulation, which is dependent upon the human vocal apparatus \u2013 the shape of our mouth as a voice box, with the tongue, lips, jaw and other speech organs working in concert.<\/p>\n
An “ahhh” sound is made with an open mouth and throat. Contrast an “l” or long “e” or final “y” \u2013 where the lips and back of the throat are almost closed. Examining the Muslim word for God, “Allah”, in sound symbolic terms, shows that\u00a0it is divided into three phonemes: “Ah”\/”l”\/”Ah”, which\u00a0connotes large \/ small \/ large, and suggests\u00a0an individual feeling truly “little”\u00a0before (and in awe of)\u00a0the perceived Almighty.\u00a0This insight is gleaned from Robert M. Hoffsteins’ “A Mystical Key to the English Language”.<\/p>\n
Margaret Magnus, in “Gods of the Word”, points out how “str-”\u00a0invokes linearity and predictability<\/em>: straight, string, strip, stripe,\u00a0street. [c.f. Afrikaans: straal, strand, strek, strik, string, stryk, straat]. Hold that concept. Now\u00a0one sense of \u201c-ap\u201d is flat<\/em>: cap, flap, map, lap, etc. Put \u201cstr\u201d and \u201cap\u201d together,\u00a0and, voil\u00e0,\u00a0you get \u201cstrap\u201d i.e. a flat line.<\/p>\n Phonosemantics\u00a0is applicable whether the word is\u00a0spoken aloud\u00a0or not, because, even while reading, individuals\u00a0have been shown\u00a0to sub-vocalise. Thought and sound are flip-sides to the coinage of language. I think it was Dorian Haarhoff, storyteller extraordinaire who said, “Let’s learn together to dance the dance of words with greater \u00e9lan, engagement and enthusiasm, thereby engaging fully with our Source energy…”\u00a0 You’ll surely be\u00a0surprised by the overlay of meaning which you intuit when listening to the\u00a0secret whisperings of words.<\/p>\n No rose would smell sweeter by any other name.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Generating names for a product, brand or company is part of the copywriter’s repertoire.\u00a0 With the\u00a0dotcom explosion having monopolised\u00a0nearly all names and permutations thereof, wordsmiths have resorted to\u00a0semantic associations, creating hybridised names as a creative way out of this impasse. … Continue reading