Awesome Find!
Written by Michele T on September 13, 2007 – 1:37 pm -By
By accident, I came upon Alan Cooper’s Homonym List. It is an awesome find! From A-Z, it looks like all possible homonym situations are listed for studying or just checking a specific word. I’m definitely adding this one to my favorites.
Alan Cooper also provides this information:
“Nomenclature
I’d like to point out that the word “homonym” is actually a misnomer. I learned this only recently from my son, and by rights I should call this a list of homophones, but old habits die hard, and that smudged, yellow, lined pad didn’t say “homophones,” it said “homonyms,” and that’s how I think of them. For those of you who care, here are the pertinent terms and their definitions:
- Homonym: One of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in meaning (as cleave meaning “to cut” and cleave meaning “to adhere” (coincidentally, also antonyms!))
- Homophone: One of two or more words pronounced alike but different in meaning or spelling (as the words to, too, and two)
- Homograph: One of two or more words spelled alike but different in meaning or pronunciation (as the bow of a ship, a bow and arrow)
Other Fun with Word Resources
If you like to play with words, you’ll really like Judi Wolinsky’s wonderful Word Play website. It contains pointers to many websites–at least as interesting as this one–that let you have fun with words (and the occasional number, too).
Tracy Finifter has her own excellent list of homonyms on the Web.
David K. Mellinger at Cornell has one of the most interesting lists of word stuff around.”
NOTE: In parentheses is exactly what Alan Cooper says on his site. Please click here, to read more great information on his “All About Homonyms” page.
Now that you’re more informed concerning homonyms, take this new knowledge and write the cyber highway!
Tags: Writing, Writing Resources
Posted in Writing Resources | 4 Comments »
September 13th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Hi Michele,
Great find! I’ll have to check it out. My grammar can always use improvement.
Hope you’re day is going well!
Renie
[Reply]
September 13th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Yes, I thought it was a great find too. I’m always discovering I made a grammar mistake somehow, so I’m brushing up!
I hope your day is going well too, Renie.
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Smiles,
Michele
[Reply]
September 13th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
These are good links Michele, I find that I can always use grammer improvement too. I find that homophones are probably the most misused in english – especially the words, there, their, and they’re. In some regions, such as Kentucky, the word ‘they’ is a substitute for ‘their’. I use to think that only Loretta used the word ‘they’ for ‘their’ but I’ve met people from Kentucky, on my former job and as neighbors, and they speak the same way.
So I’m wondering if natural regional dialect/pronunciation might play a part in why homophones are often misused, or if the difference in the words wasn’t taught and reinforced at an early age (or possible went unnoticed) or both?
[Reply]
September 13th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Thanks for stopping by, Deborah. I’m not sure why there are so many instances of misused homophones. I agree with you that it is probably a combination of regional/learned habits, but I also think sometimes it is just carelessness from being in a rush.
I’ve noticed there have been times myself that I’ve used “they’re” instead of the proper word “their” in an email or even handwritten letter (yes, I still use snail mail!) because I was hurrying and just didn’t pay attention.
That’s why I felt like posting this today. Proper English grammar is fading and I’ve actually read that the wrong spelling of some words is replacing the correct spelling because of such a vast amount of people using the wrong version. That’s sad.
So, I’m trying to improve my own English skills and thought I’d invite others along for the ride.
I’m glad you enjoyed my “mini English class!”
Have a great day!
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