There are times when a word is repeated several times by ourselves and out of nowhere it starts to sound very strange. However, this is known as semantic saturation or semantic satiation, which is a psychological phenomenon that consists of the repetition of a word or phrase causing the temporary loss of its meaning for the listener, receiving practically repeated sounds.
It is important to note that in our brain, each word has two types of information: meaning and form. The latter consists, on the one hand, of the spelling and, on the other, of the sound, i.e. the succession of phonemes and syllables and the correct intonation.
It could be said then that for most people who experience semantic satiation it is in a playful context: deliberately repeating a single word over and over again just to get that feeling when it stops sounding like a real word. Although this phenomenon can appear in subtle ways.
As an example we could say that writing teachers often insist that students use repeated words carefully, not only because it demonstrates a better vocabulary and a more eloquent style, but to avoid loss of meaning.
Overuse of "strong" words, such as words with intense connotations or profanity, can also fall victim to semantic saturation and lose their intensity.
I must admit that this fact is totally interesting, because it is also not so popular when I personally think it should be. It's amazing how a question can give you an interesting piece of information!
I hope you liked this article and found it useful!
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