The following article is dedicated to an analysis of the phenomenon of sound symbolism seen as an instance of linguistic iconicity or primary (phonetic) motivation of nomination. In order to provide a theoretical background for the forthcoming contrastive analysis of Sound Symbolic Systems of English, Latvian and Russian such issues as iconic functions and features of sound symbolic words will be considered in greater detail. Since the appearance of the theory of arbitrariness of a linguistic sign there have been numerous attempts to contest it. In an attempt to establish a consistent approach to the study of linguistic iconicity in its connection to the problem of the motivation of a linguistic sign as well as in connection to the study of expressive potential of language, the new discipline of phonosemantics was established. Both before and after the appearance of the discipline extensive research was conducted, iconic systems of various languages were studied and a number of important discoveries were made. That has ensured the independent status of phonosemantics and has provided sufficient empirical data for research.