In this experiment, I took Every 10th English monosyllable sorted alphabetically and compared them with the English monosyllables beginning with /b/. First I devised a classification for the words chosen at random. Then I separated off the Concrete Noun classes. Then I looked for similarities in the remaining classes, breaking larger classes down into smaller ones if necessary. Finally, I compared that classification scheme to the classification scheme I devised for words beginning with /b/.
I find that whenever words chosen at random are classified, they fall into a natural classification scheme that holds for English as a whole and which is not dependent on the sound. Among these natural classes there will be the concrete nouns, but also others, many of which are represented in this data: water, fire and light; sound and language; big, medium, small; beginning, middle, end; strong, weak; good, bad; crime and deception; quantities and emptiness; long, round, flat; bumps and indentations; strong, weak; smooth, fuzzy, bumpy; dirt and washing; verbs of motion (vehicular, non-vehicular), verbs of contact, verbs of destruction, verbs of creation; verbs of wiggling and turning; happy, sad, angry, irritated; give, get; boundaries, containers, groups, impediments; etc..
If the words being classifyied also have some phonological trait in common, then they will still fit into these same classes, but the classification will differ in (among others) these two ways:
1. Words that sound similar will fit into a narrower class of meanings than the meanings covered by all of English. For example, the language as a whole will have many words for people, and /b/ also has many words for people. But the people which begin with /b/ are confined to a subset of people. There are no priests or prudes in /b/, though there are many in /p/. /b/ people are outrageous, sexy, bad and beautiful. There are also many children and many groups of people in /b/. People in /p/ go into the priesthood, are prudish or work in professions which give them authority and control over others. In this classification scheme, I have tried to indicate in one or two words what semantic trait distinguishes the words in that class beginning with /b/.
2. The sound-meaning makes words that have some sound or sounds in common distribute unevenly among the basic English classes. In the table below, some classes were marked to indicate which sounds appeared there most frequently. For example, a disproportionately large number of the verbs of physical contact start with /b/. One can get an approximate picture of how the semantics of words containing /b/ is biassed by looking at the variations in distribution between the words in the classification scheme. In many cases, very few or no words beginning with /b/ appear in certain classes which are quite common in the language otherwise. Instead, words beginning with /b/ fall in other classes which are similar. Examples are slowness (from the randomly selected words) vs. interference and blockage (in words starting with /b/), ability and possibility (random) vs. the future (/b/), middles and endings (random) vs. beginnings (/b/), negativity and loss (random) vs. emptiness and blindness (/b/), weak (random) vs. blocked (/b/), touch (random) vs. beat (/b/), cut or chafe (random) vs. break (/b/), frills and froth (random) vs. brushy (/br/), take and receive (random) vs. bind and fasten (/b/), areas (random) vs. boundaries (/b/), etc..
In addition to these disproportions in the natural classes, each sound will deliver to the word within a given natural class a specific element of meaning. For example, of the /b/ words of physical contact, essentially all are violent (bat, beat, bash, bonk,...). And unlike their counterparts starting with /p/ (prick, pike, pin, poke,...), they rarely pierce the surface.
Non-Concrete Classes
Water
Random : - [+liquid], /s/: drip, drown, floe, froth, hoar, ice, moor, plunge, rinse, souse, sprite, sump
B-Words : bail, bath, bathe, bay, beck, bed, bleed, bloat, blood, blot, blotch, blue, bob, bog, boil, branch, breach, break, brew, brine, brook, broth
Light
Random : - /l/: clear, glow, light, pale, spark
B-Words - /l/, /r/ (Bright): bask, beam, blanch, blank, blaze, bleach, blink, blip, blitz, blond, blush, bold, bolt, brand, braze, bright, bulb, burn
Fire
Random : - /k/: bake, spark
B-Words - /r/ (Hot): bake, blaze, boil, bolt, braise, brand, brew, broil, broth, burn
Money
Random : - /b/, /g/, V/t/: bank, bill, bit, bourse, dime, gelt, gift, thrift
B-Words : bail, bank, bar, bear, bet, bill, bit, bleed, blow, bob, bond, bourse, brass, bread, bribe, buck, bull, bunch, buy
Group
Random : bloc, brood, caste, copse, group, list, race, squad, tribe, zoo
B-Words : bale, band, bank, bar, batch, bed, bench, bloc, block, blood, board, bond, book, brace, branch, brand, breed, brood, bunch, bund
Amounts
Random - /t/: bit, dot, much, thick, ton
B-Words (Large): bank, beaut, best, big, bis, blow, boon, boot, both, brisk, broad, bulk
Area
Random - V/l/: realm, weal
Boundary
B-Words : bank, bar, beach, belt, blank, bluff, bound, break, breath, brim, brink, brow, brunt
Constrained
Random - /t/: girt, lest, neat, terse, vise
Impediments
B-Words : balk, ban, band, bank, bar, barb, bate, bay, bib, bit, bitch, blind, block, bluff, bog, boom, boot, brake, brig, bund, bung
Interfere
B-Words : bag, ban, bar, bate, bench, bend, bilk, bind, blank, blind, block, blot, bluff, blunt, blur, bog, bolt, boss, bounce, bout, brake, breach, break, brook, brush, buck, buff, bug, bump, butt
Stop/Wait
B-Words : bait, balk, bate, bear, bend, bide, bilk, brace, brake, break, brew, brook, buck
Ask
Random : ask, beg, pry, pump
B-Words : beck, beg, bend, bid, bill, boon, boss, bribe, bum
Eat
Random : chow, snack
Take/Receive
Random - [+labial]: bet, bill, nab, pinch, rake, tax, theft, thrift, trap
Bind/Fasten
B-Words : band, bar, baste, belt, bind, blend, bolt, bond, bound, bow, brace, braid, braze, bridge, bunch, bund
Bump
Random - [+labial]: bulge, dune, heap, lobe, nub, paunch, rough
B-Words : bag, bale, ball, bay, bead, belch, bell, bilge, blimp, blip, bloat, blob, blouse, blow, boil, boll, boob, breast, bud, bug(eye), bulb, bulge, bum, bump, bunch, bun/s, burl, burst, bust, butt, butte
Incline/Fall
Random : cline, cock, prone, sheer, step, stoop, swoon
Float/Bounce
B-Words : ball, bank, bath, bathe, beach, bilge, birl, blimp, bloat, boat, bob, boil, bounce, bound, breach, breeze, buck, bulge, bump
Long/Thin
Random : flue, knife, oar, peg, pole, rake, saw, screw, shot, strand, thorn, trunk
B-Words (Sticks, Building Materials): balk, bar, bat, bead, beam, birch, birl, blade, bloom, board, bone, boom, bough, brace, branch
Foamy, Frilly
Random - [+fricative]: frill, froth, shag
B-Words (Brushy): bang, barb, beard, bosk, braid, brake, branch, broom, brow, browse, brush, bur, burr, bush
Strike/Touch
Random - /b/, /p/, /k/: bash, beat, bonk, bop, dab, kiss, pinch, pry, pump, screw, shot, smite, sock, zonk
B-Words (Violent): barge, bash, baste, bat, bate, bean, beat, belt, biff, bite, blitz, blow, bob, bolt, bomb, bonk, boot, bop, bounce, bout, box, brain, brawl, broil, bruise, brush, buck, budge, buff, bump, bung, bunt, bust, butt
Cut
Random - V/r/: char, knife, lathe, pare, saw, scar
Break
B-Words : barge, bark, bite, blot, blow, bob, bore, brain, brake, branch, breach, break, bruise, bum, burn, bust
Throw/Send/Give
Random - /p/: file, pitch, pour, send, shot, slough, spit, spout
Explode
B-Words : barf, bam, bang, bash, belch, blast, blow, blurt, boil, bolt, bomb, boom, burp, burst, bust
Blow
B-Words : belch, blast, bloat, blow, breath, breathe, breeze, burp, burst, bust
Spend
Random - /s/, /t/: bet, rent, spend, splurge, swap, tithe
Shake/Bend/Turn
Random - /f/, /r/, /w/: braid, fan, flail, flex, stoop, swerve, swoon, torque, twirl, wag, wrench
B-Words (Bend): bend, bight, bow
Move
Random [+liquid]: go, haul, plod, plunge, race, romp, schlep, scull, slip, step
Depart
B-Words : back(off), bail(out), beat(it), blast(off), blow, board, bolt, book, boot, bounce, bow(out), break, brief, brush(off), buck, bus, butt(out), bye
Dirt/Grime
Random - [+sonorant]: crud, gaum, murk, scrag, slough, snot, soot, sump
B-Words : blot, blotch
Error
Random : glitch, goof, jam, slip
B-Words : balk, bilge, blot, blotch, blow, botch, bounce, bug, bull, bum, bunk, burn
Badness
B-Words : bad, bale, bane, base, black, bode
Weak/Sad
Random - /w/: bawl, drawn, fray, lorn, wan, weep
B-Words (Sad): bawl, bear, blah, bleak, blear, blue, bum, bust
Irritation
Random - /r/: irk, rough
B-Words : ban, barb, barge, bile, bitch, bite, black, blame, blast, blaze, blight, blitz, blot, blow, boil, bore, brand, brew, broil, bug, burn, bust, butt
Deception
Random : ape, bluff, con, feint, hex, screw, shark, sleight, sly
Crime
B-Words : bait, bilk, bluff, breach, bribe
Question
Random - /w/: who, why
Slow
Random - /l/: glitch, haul, lag, lapse, list, long, plod, schlep
Withdrawal
Random : shirk, shy, strand
No
Random - /n/: nix, nope
Emptiness/Blindness
B-Words : back, bail, bald, bare, bilge, blab, black, blah, blanch, bland, blank, bleach, bleak, blear, blind, blink, blip, blob, block, blot, bluff, blur, bore, bosh, bounce, break, broke, bull, bum, bunk, bush, bust, bye
Cry/Talk
Random - /b/, /p/: bawl, beg, bill, bode, mot, pitch, preach, squib, weep, yawp
B-Words (Loud, Effusive): bah, barb, bark, bash, baste, bat, beard, beck, beef, beg, bend, bet, bid, bilge, bill, bis, bitch, blab, blame, bless, blot, blow, bluff, blunt, blurb, blurt, boast, bode, bolt, book, bore, bosh, boost, boss, bounce, bout, brag, brand, bull, bunk, butt, buzz
Exclamations
B-Words : bad, bah, bam, bang, bash, blah, blast, blaze/s, boo, boom, bosh, boy, bud, bull, bye
Noise
Random - [+liquid]: bawl, blare, clang, cluck, grunt, hark, horn, peal, roar, taps, ti, tune, tweet
B-Words (Loud, Sudden): baa, bam, bang, bark, bawl, bay, beep, belch, bell, birr, blare, blast, bleat, bleep, blow, bomb, bong, boo, boom, brawl, bray, burp, burr, buzz
Beginning, Preparation
Random - [+labial], /r/: babe, brim, dawn, draft, prime, prone, spark, verge
B-Words (Beginning): babe, bairn, bang, base, bear, birth, bloom, blow(peach), board, boost, boot, boy, break, breed, bride, bring, brink, broach, brood, bud, bulb, bur, burst
Foundation
Random - V/nd/: breech, found, fund, hind
B-Words (Base, Carries Weight): back, bank, base, bed, bench, block, boost, brunt, bulk
Carry
B-Words : back, bag, barge, bear, bike, boost, box, bra, brace, bridge, bring, brook, brunt, bulk, bus
Surface
Random - /p/, /l/: ledge, plaque, porch, slate, step
Middle
Random : gap, half, midst
End
Random : close, old, taps
Future (see Departure above)
B-Words : bait, bank, bate, beck, bent, bet, bid, bide, bill, bode, bond, bound, brace, brew, bribe, bring, brink, brood
Ability
Random V[d,t]: could, craft, sleight, would
Possibility
Random : luck, may, ought
Strong, Courageous
Random - /r/: brave, brusque, cheek, deed, firm, flex, lead, prime, race, screw, shot, staid, starch, strict, strong, torque, vise, win, wrench
B-Words (Outgoing): bad, ball/s, bawd, beef, bold, brash, brass, brave, brawn, breast, brute
Intense
Random - [+fricative]: lush, rife, sheer, teem, thick
Immersion
B-Words : bake, bask, baste, bathe, beam, binge, bliss, brew, brim, buff
Grow
B-Words : beef, best, blast, bloat, bloom, blow, boom, boost, breed, bud, build, bulge, bulk, bull, bush
Enthusiasm
Random - [+labial]: crave, fad, flaunt, rash, suave, urge, whim, wish, woo
Exceptions
Random : air, mend, quark, sky, snide, stint, toy, troth, west, yep, yon, yum
Concrete Nouns
People/Beings
Random : babe, bloc, brave, brood, butch, chief, dude, fan, faun, foe, fop, hunk, jerk, jock, Jove, kid, kook, mime, pet, shark, sire, snot, sprite, squad, tribe
B-Words (Big, Loud, Beautiful, Sexy): babe, bach, back, bag, bail, bairn, band, bar, bard, bass, bat, batch, bawd, bean, bear, beast, beau, belle, bench, bird, bitch, blab, black, blade, blight, blimp, bloc, block, bloke, blonde, blood, blue, bluff, bond, bone/s, boob, boor, bore, boss, both, boy, brag, brain, brat, brave, brick, bride, broad, brood, bruise/r, brute, bub, buck, bud, bug, bull, bum, bunch, bund, butch, butt
Body Parts
Random : cheek, heel, heme, hind, horn, paunch, pus, sac, snot, trunk
B-Words (Bulging, Supportive): ball/s, back, bang, beak, bean, beard, bill, blood, boob, bone, braid, brain, breast, breech, brow, bum, bun, bust, butt
Clothing
Random : breech/es, cape, fez, sock
B-Words (Baggy, Underwear): blouse, breech/es, bib, boot, bra, brief
Ornaments: badge, bag, bead, bell, belt, boa, bob, boss, bow, braid, branch, brass, bronze, brooch, burl
Animals
Random : ape, cock, dog, eel, kid, mite, pet, shark, thrush, whelp
B-Words (Large): barb, bass, bat, beast, bear, bee, beef, bird, bitch, boa, boar, boss, bruin, brute, buck, bug, bull
Plants
Random : kale, sedge
B-Words (Brushy): balm, bay, bean, beet, bosk, brake, briar, brush, bush
Plant Parts
Random : bur, thorn, trunk
B-Words (Bulbs, Protective): barb, bark, boll, bough, branch, bud, bulb, bur, burl, burr
Food
Random : crepe, curd, dish, grits, jam, kale, malt, pie, quiche, rum, scone, snack, starch, steak, wurst
B-Words (Grain, Liquid): bass, bay, bean, beef, beer, blintz, booze, borscht, bran, bread, broth, brut, bun
Container
Random : cage, crock, crypt, desk, dish, glass, gulch, sac, sock, trap, trunk, vase
B-Words : bag, bilge, bin, boot, bowl, box
Building
Random : gym, home, mart, shrine
B-Words (Protection, Storage): bank, bar, barn, bin, bode, booth, burg
Vehicle
Random : skiff
B-Words (Large): barge, bike, blimp, boat, brig, bus
Furniture
Random: desk
B-Words (Crude): bank, bar, bed, bench, berth, bier, board, bunk, bus
Materials
Random : mace, salve, silk, starch, talc
B-Words (Hard): bead, bone, brass, bronze
Color
Random : gray, hue, pale
B-Words (Dark or White (/l/)): bark, bay, beech, beige, black, blanch, blank, blaze, bleach, blond, blue, bole, bronze, brown, bruise, buff
Time
Random : eon, next, pace, step, time, was
Illness
Random : blight, chafe, gag, mold, rash, scar
B-Words (Abrasion, Stomach): barf, bend/s, bleed, blight, boil, bruise, burn
Units
Random : dyne, gram, ton
B-Words (Computer): baud, bit, byte