Synaesthesia (also spelled synesthesia) is the neurological mixing of the senses. A synaesthete may, for example, hear colors, see sounds, and taste tactile sensations. Although this may happen in a person who has autism, it is by no means exclusive to autists. Synaesthesia is a common effect of some hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD or mescaline.
Synaesthetes often experience correspondences between the shades of color, tones of sounds, and intensities of tastes that provoke alternate sensations. For instance, a synaesthete may see a more intense red as the pitch of a sound gets higher, or a smoother surface might make one taste a sweeter taste. These experiences are not metaphorical or merely associations; rather, they are involuntary and are consistent throughout life, although some young synaesthetes seem to lose their ability by or during adulthood.
Synaesthesia can even occur when one of the senses no longer functions properly, e.g., a person who can see colours when words are spoken can still see the colours if he becomes blind in later life.
Two of the most common forms of synaesthesia are seeing sound or seeing letters and numbers in color.
Richard Cytowic wrote a pop-psych book about this condition entitled The Man Who Tasted Shapes.
In synaesthesia's most common form (Grapheme-color synaenesthesia), individual letters of the alphabet, as well as numbers, are "shaded" or "tinged" with a color. The alphabet color pattern is different for every individual. Many synaesthetes report that they were unaware their abilities were special or unusual until they realized other people didn't have them
Synaesthetes often experience correspondences between the shades of color, tones of sounds, and intensities of tastes that provoke alternate sensations. For instance, a synaesthete may see a more intense red as the pitch of a sound gets higher, or a smoother surface might make one taste a sweeter taste. These experiences are not metaphorical or merely associations; rather, they are involuntary and are consistent throughout life, although some young synaesthetes seem to lose their ability by or during adulthood.
Synaesthesia can even occur when one of the senses no longer functions properly, e.g., a person who can see colours when words are spoken can still see the colours if he becomes blind in later life.
Two of the most common forms of synaesthesia are seeing sound or seeing letters and numbers in color.
Richard Cytowic wrote a pop-psych book about this condition entitled The Man Who Tasted Shapes.
In synaesthesia's most common form (Grapheme-color synaenesthesia), individual letters of the alphabet, as well as numbers, are "shaded" or "tinged" with a color. The alphabet color pattern is different for every individual. Many synaesthetes report that they were unaware their abilities were special or unusual until they realized other people didn't have them
'A' can appear to be bright yellow and 'M' can be a crimson, deep red color. Also objects like a chair can have personality and music can have taste. Depends on what type of Synaesthesia you have, you experience things differently.
Nick Carraway, the narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, recounts "yellow cocktail music" playing at one of Gatsby's parties.
Ludwig van Beethoven considered B minor to be "the black key," and Franz Schubert viewed E minor as like "a maiden robed in white and with a rose-red bow on her breast." In such cases of long-dead people, it is difficult to tell whether they were describing their synesthesia or using figures of speech.
Nick Carraway, the narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, recounts "yellow cocktail music" playing at one of Gatsby's parties.
Ludwig van Beethoven considered B minor to be "the black key," and Franz Schubert viewed E minor as like "a maiden robed in white and with a rose-red bow on her breast." In such cases of long-dead people, it is difficult to tell whether they were describing their synesthesia or using figures of speech.
by -Tina- July 10, 2005
Get the Synaesthesia mug.Should old aquaintance be forgot, *mumble mumble* *blah la la*.....should old aquaintance be forgot, *mumble mumble* auld lang syne!
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by emmaswag April 27, 2014
Get the Sanjeda mug.I am synae
by The grate grape June 20, 2017
Get the synae mug.A type of sport, in which couples of mostly gay men take turns banging each other from behind while the other casts a lure into a body of water, and the first couple to catch a fish and cum at the same time gets to have their salads tossed by the other pairs of gay anglers. The sensation of simultaneously catching a fish while having a nut busted on one's ass results in a certain unique oneness with nature, or "synergy".
"Max and all his gay friends were going to go to the bar, but he persuaded them to check out synergy fly fishing instead, and now they all spend a lot of time at the river"
"I went synergy fly fishing, and came home with several nice bass and a very sore asshole"
"I went synergy fly fishing, and came home with several nice bass and a very sore asshole"
by That Dude That Knows August 7, 2021
Get the Synergy Fly Fishing mug.A condition where real information from one sense is joined with false perceptions from other senses. People with this condition can "see" sound, or "smell" colors, etc. The experience varies from person to person. One synesthetic may have a solid color overlaying their vision, corresponding to pitch and volume; another may see different colors for different letters (K is always red, C is always blue for example). Synesthesia is often experienced when taking high doses of LSD; the likelihood of this effect appears to directly correlate to dosage.
Synesthetics often become composers or musicians; their unique ability to visualize sound is a distinct advantage.
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