Phonesthesia as a manifestation of iconicity: a diachronic study of the phonestheme gr- in the English lexicon

Key Points

• Phonesthesia reveals patterns connecting sound and meaning, and the phonestheme gr- illustrates this in English vocabulary.
• The study traces the diachronic evolution of words containing the phonestheme gr-, highlighting significant changes in their meanings and forms.
• Analysis explores the relationship between phonesthemes and iconicity, showing how sound can influence perceived meanings.
• Findings may enhance understanding of language evolution and how phonetic elements contribute to semantic interpretation.