Synesthesia is one of those words that no one really understands or has ever heard of because the condition itself is so rare and abstract; and while it is a condition and may be a disadvantage in some cases, it is most often a special condition to possess.
To not get much into the science aspect of what synesthesia is, the simplest way it can be explained is as being “an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality.” This means that synesthetes can feel sounds, hear colours, and other such manifestations; this can be applied to language and how a synesthete perceives the words, meaning, and so on. This condition however is an involuntary alteration of ones perception, implying that these individuals do not think of their perceptions so to speak, they just happen. A non-synesthetic person will hear the word “angry” and feel and think it can be associated with the colour red for example, however this association might change depending on the day, person’s state of mind, and so on. A synesthete will hear “angry” and involuntary associate the colour green with the word, or can easily associate a taste and such with it as well. And although some might think this is just some sort of hallucination, like ones induced by certain drugs, the difference is in the perceptions, where the processing of the words and so on will always be the same: “angry” will always equal green or “Saturday” will always taste sweet, for instance, no matter the day, state of mind, etc.
The causes of synesthesia and the way synesthetes brain’s are wired remain unknown, but the connection to language and perception and the overall topic of cognitive science is inevitable. This is one of those conditions which may seem like a disorder, however it is quite special to have as it can lead to a greater memory. It is interesting how such an altering entity can affect several parts of ones brain, and several senses. While we are so used to hearing or seeing certain words, colours, shapes, etc., and processing and perceiving them in certain ways, this involuntary alteration veers away from our all too familiar reality.
