noun
- The plural of iconicity; the quality or degree to which a sign, symbol, or representation resembles or is similar to what it represents.
Usage: Primarily used in linguistics, semiotics, and cognitive science.; Often contrasted with arbitrariness in the study of language and symbols.
Examples
- The iconicities of onomatopoetic words like 'buzz' and 'hiss' make them easier for children to learn.
- Linguists debate the iconicities of different sign languages and how they relate to meaning.
- The varying iconicities of pictorial symbols affect how quickly users understand them.
- In semiotics, iconicities refer to the degrees of visual or structural similarity between signs and their referents.
- The study of iconicities helps explain why some metaphors feel more natural than others.