General Question

Ltryptophan's avatar

Is the word pleasant pleasant?

Asked by Ltryptophan (12091points) November 4th, 2021 from iPhone

Is there something about the word pleasant that is, in spite of its meaning, pleasant? For instance, if pleasant had a different meaning that meant repulsive, would then the word pleasant still itself be pleasant?

Is it that it’s two syllables?

Bonus: Is there a word for words that are like their meaning. Onomatopoeia means a word sounds like it’s meaning, but here the word sort of embodies its meaning.

Perhaps dungeon is a word like this. It sounds foreboding, and it is. Dragon too. Garbage.

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18 Answers

raum's avatar

I’ve thought of this before. But can’t pull up any example right now. Will have to come back to this.

Though I’ve always thought that pulchritude doesn’t really sound like what it means.

Oh! Putrid sounds like its meaning.

canidmajor's avatar

”Perplex” has always sounded exactly like its meaning to me.

raum's avatar

Phonesthematic words?
I think that’s what they’re called.

zenvelo's avatar

Pleasant is pleasant for the same reason pheasant sounds tasty.

raum's avatar

Definitely sounds tastier than pigeon.

raum's avatar

Clarity.

raum's avatar

Comfy.

raum's avatar

Sticky and icky.

raum's avatar

Eviscerate.

chyna's avatar

Sounds much better than pus.

kneesox's avatar

Would it still be as pleasant if you spelled it “plezznt”?

Is this word pleasant?   jadhaab

How about this one?   prijetno

or these?   notalegt    સુખદ     hài lòng

Arabic, Slovenian, Icelandic, Gujarati, Vietnamese.

raum's avatar

@chyna I actually think (outside of their actual meaning), that pus, opus and octopus sound kind of cute. :P

flutherother's avatar

Jagged is a word that feels quite jagged itself.

raum's avatar

@kneesox I would say hài lòng is more like satisfied (adj.) or appease (verb). And I think it sounds like its meaning.

smudges's avatar

drek
ugh
pepe le peu

Brian1946's avatar

@raum

“Phonesthematic words?”

I think the word might be phonesthemic, but since I had no idea what the word was before you mentioned it and I then looked it up, I’ll defer to your judgment regarding its “approximate” accuracy. :p

raum's avatar

I think you’re probably right! I wasn’t sure if that was the correct word. Hence the question marks. :P

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