Fun with Homonyms....and the like

[Old Pio]

Some do, some don't.

I hated it, but looking back, think it probably helped.

[Old Pio]

I never diagrammed sentences, and I am about the same age as you. (I never went to middle school either.)

We had junior high and in my Chicago 'burb it was in the same building. I understand they now have actual free standing middle schools. We also went home for lunch (so we could see Bozo's Circus).

[FlagDUDE08]

We had junior high and in my Chicago 'burb it was in the same building. I understand they now have actual free standing middle schools. We also went home for lunch (so we could see Bozo's Circus).

Where I went, we had K-12 in one building. There was more than one room.

[Old Pio]

Where I went, we had K-12 in one building. There was more than one room.

K-12? Why did I just flash on "Little House on the Prairie?"

[FlagDUDE08]

K-12? Why did I just flash on "Little House on the Prairie?"

Most people do. The school has 3 floors (if you include the basement). Secondary (7-12) is upstairs as well as the sixth grade classrooms, K-5 on the first floor, all the special stuff in the basement (like the library, cafeteria, etc.). This is actually not all that uncommon on the east side of the North Country of NY.

[FreshFish]

Someone who gives up on the college basketball team from Texas that recently was hit with three-year's worth of sanctions is a Baylor bailer.

[FlagDUDE08]

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

[Brenthoven]

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Legit.

It's funny when someone tries to say it isn't.

[FreshFish]

I can think of several three-word homonyms (you ewe yew, there their they're, and depending upon what part of the country you are from, perhaps you wed a jovial woman, or marry merry Mary), I can't recall if I've ever seen a four-word one or not.


I've also been in parts of the country in which you can clearly hear a pronounciation difference between "marry" and "merry" though I can't recall where.


Nor can I think of a three-way heteronym....like "PRAH-ject" (project) the noun or "proJECT" the verb.

[Brenthoven]

Nor can I think of a three-way heteronym....like "PRAH-ject" (project) the noun or "proJECT" the verb.

You'd have to have a word with at least 3 syllables, of course.

Ok, that's your challenge. Find a three-way.

[FreshFish]

You'd have to have a word with at least 3 syllables, of course.

Ok, that's your challenge. Find a three-way.

I'd prefer we make it a group challenge...... I don't think it "has to" be 3 syllables, since Polish / polish changes by the capitalization... too bad for me that "polish" the verb and "polish" the noun don't change the accented syllable, or I'd be done....

I suppose if I spoke with a British accent, I could get a four-way homonym with you / ewe / yew / 'ugh (Hugh with no aitch) but no...

Ah, thanks to Alan Cooper, I found my four-way: air, e'er, heir, err, ere (so it's also a five-way...)


For those who like obscure or esoteric words, this site can be fun: http://phrontistery.info/faq.html


Edit: wow, the internet makes all sorts of , um, "interesting" things available...Not only is there someone who collects and publishes a list of homonyms, Jon Vahsholtz published a list of heteronyms here. He has colon, the punctuation mark; colon, the internal organ, and some obscure third definition of colon that I've never heard of before.

[duper]

He has colon, the punctuation mark; colon, the internal organ, and some obscure third definition of colon that I've never heard of before.

Interestingly, he DOESN'T have the organ there. He has the punctuation mark, a colonial farmer, and a unit of Costa Rican money. I call BS on the money thing, because I don't think you can count a foreign word, that would just be stupid. And yet, he missed a really obvious one. Weird.

And the accent thing is an interesting point. Think about the fact that the A. A. Milne character Eeyore is named for the sound that donkeys make.

[REDaero91]

I can think of several three-word homonyms (you ewe yew, there their they're, and depending upon what part of the country you are from, perhaps you wed a jovial woman, or marry merry Mary), I can't recall if I've ever seen a four-word one or not.


I've also been in parts of the country in which you can clearly hear a pronounciation difference between "marry" and "merry" though I can't recall where.


Nor can I think of a three-way heteronym....like "PRAH-ject" (project) the noun or "proJECT" the verb.

Maybe the Midwest? I know I pronounce "marry" and "merry" differently.

[FlagDUDE08]

Maybe the Midwest? I know I pronounce "marry" and "merry" differently.

We pronounce them the same in the North Country. Of course it may have been some slight Buffalo influence slipping in as well.

[LynahFan]

right
rite
wright
write

carat
caret
carrot
karat

and, of course, the winner:

air
e'er
ere
err
heir
are

(yes, "are" can be pronounced "air" when it means an area of 100 square meters)

[FreshFish]

I saw an article about an unpopular law, and how people were violating a statue.....not sure if that was "just" a typo or an instance of a person not knowing the correct term and just tossing in something that sounded close.

[FlagDUDE08]

I saw an article about an unpopular law, and how people were violating a statue.....not sure if that was "just" a typo or an instance of a person not knowing the correct term and just tossing in something that sounded close.

It's a typo... should be statute.

However, after a few days of not making much progress, I had a weak week.

[FreshFish]

I guess a former hockey great became a coach for a crew team, except they apparently had some trouble understanding his accent. One day they brought both long wooden blades and lode-bearing rock to practice. When the coach wondered why, his assistant told him, "that's because they weren't sure whether you said 'ore' or 'oar', Orr."

[FreshFish]

This question may have already been posted on the "eternal questions" thread....

Why do we drive on a parkway and park in a driveway?

[UncleRay]

I don't know if it fits here, but whenever some writes "should of" I want to beat them.

I am wanting to understand what your problem is.