The Bouba-Kiki Effect Is Real. So Is Language Still Arbitrary?
This is a fascinating read. Before I read the explanation, I identified the curvy shape as Buoba and the more sharp shape as Kiki. My reasoning was that bouba reminded me of “blob” or “blubber” and the sound was more round. And Kiki had harder and sharper consonants, then it was repetition i-i, straighter and more direct in its sound. So, I associated it with the other shape.
I think about this topic all the time. Mainly because I associate the combination of sounds to colors and shapes. When I read, a passage can seem yellow or gray. There is an aesthetic quality — just as when I look at a tree or a fruit, the image itself can be pleasing or displeasing.
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