Having a daughter who is in third grade, I can attest that learning English can be rather tricky, because the rules seem so arbitrary, no doubt a function of its multifaceted roots.
Here’s a list someone sent me of heteronyms. What’s that?
“A pair (or group) of heteronyms are words that have the same spelling (they are homographs) but different pronunciation (they are heterophones) and also different meanings.” And the linked page has even more examples, with some contextual understanding.
The bandage was wound around the wound.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
After a number of injections, my jaw got number.
Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
***
Also see HERE.
(From The Bad Chemicals; used by permission)
Oh the joys of the English language! But it can make it fun too, as Mr Plague demonstrated on Wednesday.
Your cartoon illustrated one of my pet hates though, the use of ‘your’ instead of ‘you’re’. Another is writing ‘could of’ when the person means ‘could have’. Actually there are probably quite a few more!
Yeah, but learning the gender of nouns sucks, too. 🙂
True enough, Chris.
Sometimes I think it’s amazing we can communicate at all—although, we don’t need confusing spelling and rules to create communication problems. We seem to have plenty of other ways to “miscommunicate”.
Dear Roger,
Very nice observations. Funny, I was directed to a business site today and the motto of the biz was, “A Content Builder.” First, I read it as con-TENT, like, “Ooooh, what a pleasant site!” Then I realized it was indeed a heteronymn (not that there’s anything WRONG with that… !) Thanks, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/02/07/dads-dynamic-deeds/