A synesthete has what is called synesthesia, which is an unusual condition that is only common in 1 in 20 people. It is more common among artists, and can run in families. A person with synesthesia might bite into an apple and feel the flavour of it on their fingertips, might see the letter H as sky blue, the number 3 as yellow, and Friday as forest green. The months of the year may be seen in an oval shape, each month a specific colour, some a different size. Some synesthetes might hear and taste their friend's voice as a deep magenta colour. The interesting thing about it all is that not two synesthetes see or hear or taste the exact same things, nor do they all have the same type or version of synesthesia.
I personally do not feel the flavour of food on my fingers when I eat, nor do I taste a colour when a friend speaks. Instead, I see the months of the year in an oval shape in my head, each month a different colour, July and August being larger than the rest. This is the same with the days of the week, seeing this in an oval shape, each day a specific colour, Saturday and Sunday being larger than the other days. I see individual numbers in colour, for example I see the number 3 as a vulgar yellow, which I think is why I have never really liked the number 3, I've always thought it was ugly. Lastly I see each letter of the alphabet as a different colour. F is green, G is orange...each letter is a certain colour in my mind.
Surprisingly enough, most synesthetes are not even aware that they have this peculiar sensory gift. They assume that the way they think, is the way everybody thinks. The way they picture things inside their head is the way everyone sees them. So the question I now have for you is, what do you see?
resource: Wednesday Is Indigo Blue, Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia
Richard E. Cytowic, M.D., and David M. Eagleman, Ph.D.
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