So, what words sound beautiful? What words sound beautiful but the meaning drags them down?
Well, I think "onomatopoeia" sounds beautiful. Which would be my main argument against accepting "heterological" as its antonym, in fact.
Seems to me antonyms should, as polar opposites (see previous post) share a common nature. Yes, I know this appears to be a paradox, so off the top of me head, here are some examples: "optimistic" goes with "pessimistic" rather than "cynical". "Malevolent" goes with "benevolent" rather than "good". OK, not very good examples, but I'm rushed.
By the way, I also think "enantiodroma" and "serendipity" are beautiful. I confess I haven't checked them against Crystal's rules yet, but I suspect their appeal is as much in the meaning as the sound for me.
Agree with Max, phonaesthetics sounds fascinating!
