# Anyone else see facial expressions in letters & numbers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216 "2010-07-01T17:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/1 "2010-07-01T17:44:15Z")
I always have, ever since I was a little kid. It’s as if each letter and number has a face, and is looking in a specific direction, with a specific mood. For example, upper case A looks friendly and enthusiastic while upper case T is so stern and stoic. Lower case a is looking back at the previous letter to see what it has. Etcetera, etcetera. I seem to remember asking my mother about it when I was very young, and she thought it was completely ridiculous. Anyone else experience this? ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/2 "2010-07-01T18:02:11Z")
No, but I perceive them as having specific genders and personalities. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/3 "2010-07-01T18:13:51Z")
Sounds like a form of [synesthesia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia). ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/4 "2010-07-01T18:14:49Z")
That’s what I’m wondering. And yes, some of them have gender too (but not all). ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/5 "2010-07-01T18:31:09Z")
Not genders, but yes to expressions. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/6 "2010-07-01T20:01:18Z")
I’m convinced that Q is mocking me, sticking her tongue out. But I can’t confront her because U is always right behind her with that idiotic smile. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/7 "2010-07-01T20:16:58Z")
Oh definitely. A 3 looks like it has sideways teeth, for some reason. 9 has the corner of her mouth pulled up in a grimace. 6 is fat. y’s head is cocked to the side. R is walking down the street. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/8 "2010-07-01T20:30:29Z")
Fascinating! It seems like the shapes of the letters have a lot to do with it. I’ve always thought y is wearing a watch on that arm that’s hanging down. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/9 "2010-07-01T20:57:16Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > No, but I perceive them as having specific genders and personalities. And colors. A is female, strong, and yellow. B is male, tough, and navy blue. e is male, effeminite, and white. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/10 "2010-07-01T21:12:46Z")
Welcome to the world of synesthesia. It’s a fun place. 😉 (And there is no way E is white. E is powder blue. Some people. :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/11 "2010-07-01T21:17:25Z")
Well, yeah, upper case E has a bit more color. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/12 "2010-07-01T21:21:29Z")
So for those who see colors in the letters, are the letters themselves tinted when you look at them? Because to me some of them remind me of a color (e.g. e would be green and so would 3) but I don’t actually see colors when I look at them. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/13 "2010-07-01T21:54:02Z")
> [@umop\_ap\_sdn](#): > > So for those who see colors in the letters, are the letters themselves tinted when you look at them? Because to me some of them remind me of a color (e.g. e would be green and so would 3) but I don’t actually see colors when I look at them. I see the colors in my head–it’s more a perception of color than an actual overlay. When I think of a word, the letters have color, but when I look at one on a page, the colors of the letters don’t change. BTW, E’s are tan. Sheesh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/14 "2010-07-01T21:54:16Z")
Yes, letters, numbers, musical notes, chords and keys have color, sound, personality and gender . . . and changing the font can complicate matters. I don’t literally see or hear colors or sounds, but it’s sort of looking at a grayscale photo, and just \*knowing \*that the grass is green. I recently planted some solid orange pansies, and they remind me of music in the key of e-flat major. ---
**Author:** ![causticsubstance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@causticsubstance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/causticsubstance)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/15 "2010-07-01T21:56:39Z")
My letters and numbers have vague personalities and genders. They don’t have expressions, but I do have a very hazy idea of what they look like. Except for 2. 2 very definitely has a pronounced nose and dark, neat hair. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/16 "2010-07-01T23:36:56Z")
> [@umop\_ap\_sdn](#): > > So for those who see colors in the letters, are the letters themselves tinted when you look at them? Because to me some of them remind me of a color (e.g. e would be green and so would 3) but I don’t actually see colors when I look at them. I actually see the colors, but that’s really rare. The way I see it, it’s sorta… well, I can tell the letters I’m typing are black. But A is a sort of yellowish black, B is a blueish black, C is a reddish black, etc. If that doesn’t make any sense to you- it’s just as weird to me, and I’m the one seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/17 "2010-07-02T00:50:57Z")
The interesting thing regarding letters/numbers and colors is that some letters are very obviously a particular color, yet others seem rather tentative. “A” and “8” are a very pure, primary red; “E” and “3” are definitely a bright yellow-orange; “M” cannot be anything but brown; and “T” is definitely navy blue. But some aren’t that absolute. “H” can appear to be different colors, depending on context and font, but it is always dark. “O” can also change, but it is always pale, sometimes almost white. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/18 "2010-07-02T02:44:56Z")
By the way, are we allowed to recommend other boards? There’s a forum for synesthetes that I belong to, where people discuss this sort of thing all the time. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/19 "2010-07-02T03:23:56Z")
That would rock! Mods? ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216/20 "2010-07-02T03:31:07Z")
I don’t have synesthesia, but letters and numbers do have personalities and associated colors and other characteristics. I was a little bit in love with the letter D and the number 7 as a kid. It wasn’t cheating because they’re pretty much the same guy. I still have trouble with round-shaped numbers being even or more angular ones being odd. Even is pointy and odd is round, and that’s just the way it is. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-see-facial-expressions-in-letters-numbers/545216.md?page=2)