Phono-semantic matching

Phono-semantic matching is a way of understanding how words sound and what they mean. It is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle – we have pieces that sound the same and make sense together, and then we have pieces that sound different but make sense together. For example, if you said the words "cat" and "mat," they sound different (the "c" and the "m") but they mean the same thing (a soft flat material that is often placed on the floor). Phono-semantic matching helps us understand words better and make new words.