A homograph is a word that

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This article is about the grammatical use. For the typographical sense, see Homoglyph. For the geometrical sense, see Homography.

A homograph (from the Greek: ὁμός, homós, «same» and γράφω, gráphō, «write») is a word that shares the same written form as another word but has a different meaning.^[1] However, some dictionaries insist that the words must also be pronounced differently,^[2] while the Oxford English Dictionary says that the words should also be of «different origin».^[3] In this vein, The Oxford Guide to Practical Lexicography lists various types of homographs, including those in which the words are discriminated by being in a different word class, such as hit, the verb to strike, and hit, the noun a blow.^[4]

If, when spoken, the meanings may be distinguished by different pronunciations, the words are also heteronyms. Words with the same writing and pronunciation (i.e. are both homographs and homophones) are considered homonyms. However, in a broader sense the term «homonym» may be applied to words with the same writing or pronunciation. Homograph disambiguation is critically important in speech synthesis, natural language processing and other fields. Identically written different senses of what is judged to be fundamentally the same word are called polysemes; for example, wood (substance) and wood (area covered with trees).

In English[edit]

Examples:

• sow (verb) – to plant seed

sow (noun) – female pig

where the two words are spelt identically but pronounced differently. Here confusion is not possible in spoken language but could occur in written language.

• bear (verb) – to support or carry

bear (noun) – the animal

where the words are identical in spelling and pronunciation (), but differ in meaning and grammatical function. These are called homonyms.

More examples[edit]

In Chinese[edit]

Many Chinese varieties have homographs, called 多音字 (pinyin: duōyīnzì) or 重形字 (pinyin: chóngxíngzì), 破音字 (pinyin: pòyīnzì).

Old Chinese[edit]

Modern study of Old Chinese has found patterns that suggest a system of affixes.^[5] One pattern is the addition of the prefix /*ɦ/, which turns transitive verbs into intransitive or passives in some cases:^[6]

Another pattern is the use of a /*s/ suffix, which seems to create nouns from verbs or verbs from nouns:^[6]

Middle Chinese[edit]

Many homographs in Old Chinese also exist in Middle Chinese. Examples of homographs in Middle Chinese are:

Modern Chinese[edit]

Many homographs in Old Chinese and Middle Chinese also exist in modern Chinese varieties. Homographs which did not exist in Old Chinese or Middle Chinese often come into existence due to differences between literary and colloquial readings of Chinese characters. Other homographs may have been created due to merging two different characters into the same glyph during script reform (See Simplified Chinese characters and Shinjitai).

Some examples of homographs in Cantonese from Middle Chinese are:

See also[edit]

• Synonym
• Interlingual homograph
• IDN homograph attack
• Syncretism (linguistics)
• False friend

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Asked by: Drew Willms V

Score: 5/5
(10 votes)

A homograph is a word that shares the same written form as another word but has a different meaning. However, some dictionaries insist that the words must also sound different, while the Oxford English Dictionary says that the words should also be of «different origin».

What is homographs and examples?

The -graph in homograph means “written.” Homographs are words that are written the same—meaning they always have the same spelling—but have different meanings. … For example, tear (rhymes with ear) and tear (rhymes with air) are homographs. So are bear (the animal) and bear (the verb meaning “to carry”).

What are the 20 examples of homographs?

20 example of homograph

What are the 10 examples of homographs?

Homograph Examples

What does D homograph mean?

: one of two or more words spelled alike but different in meaning or derivation or pronunciation (such as the bow of a ship, a bow and arrow)

21 related questions found

Definition of Homograph

The word homograph originated from the Greek word “homos,” which means “the same,” and graph, which means “to write,” and it is used extensively in language. It can be defined as words that are used in such a manner as to give two or more different meanings, where the words have the same spelling, but different meanings, and sometimes different pronunciations as well.

For instance, the word “bear” (verb) means “to endure,” and “bear” (noun) is the name of an animal. This can be considered one example of homograph. This literary device is one of the types of pun (paronomasia).

Similarity with Homonym

Homonym is a bigger category of which homographs are a part. All homograph examples are also identified as homonym examples, since a homograph is a specific term, but a homonym is a generalized term. Homographs are words with different meanings but the same spelling, such as tire (fatigue), and tire (wheel tire).

Difference Between Homograph and Homophone

The basic difference between homophone and homograph is that homographs are words that have the same spelling, such as “He is my close relative,” and “Please close the door.” Homophones, on the other hand, are words that sound the same and are spelled differently, such as “That speech was read,” and “That dress was red.”

Examples of Homograph in Literature

Example #1: Great Expectations (By Charles Dickens)

“They seemed to think the opportunity lost, if they failed to point the conversation to me, every now and then, and stick the point into me”

Here, in this excerpt, both words in bold are identical in spelling, but they have different meanings. The first “point” means direction, and second “point” means the idea.

Example #2: When Words Don’t Fit – A Multiple Meaning Words Poem (By ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Unknown)

“I have such a fit (tantrum)
When these words don’t fit (match)!
Like when all through the Spring (season)
All the deer jump and Spring (bounce),
And the lions feel they might (perhaps)
Want to show I have such a fit (tantrum)
When these words don’t fit (match)!
Like when all through the Spring (season)
All the deer jump and Spring (bounce),
And the lions feel they their strength and might (power),
When the monkeys swing (sway)
From a vine like a swing(hanging seat),
And the roar of the bear (animal)
Is too loud for me to bear (endure),
And I can’t try to pet (stroke)
One, since it’s not a pet (domesticated animal)!
I’m not trying to be mean (cruel),
But what do these words mean (imply)?”

This poem is probably the best piece to use if you are teaching Homographs 101, as the words used are very familiar. Using context clues, the meanings (enclosed in parentheses) of the homographs are easy to decipher.

Example #3: Lolita (By Vladimir Nabokov)

Vladimir Nabokov has used multilingual and unique homographs in his novel Lolita. For instance, a character’s name, “Humbert,” is used as a pun in different languages. In Spanish, its meaning is “man,” and in French its meaning is “shadow.” Similarly, the name of the character “Lolita” is changed to “Dolores.” In Latin its meaning is “pain,” and the meaning of her nickname “Dolly” is a toy in English.

Example #4: A Hymn to God the Father (By John Donne)

“When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done for I have more.
That at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore
And having done that, Thou hast done;
I fear no more…”

Donne has played on both his and his wife’s last names, “Donne,” and “More,” with the words “done” and “more.” These are homographs that have the same pronunciations. Donne has used it for wry effect.

Example #5: Much Ado About Nothing (By William Shakespeare)

Beatrice:
“The count is neither sad, nor sick,
nor merry, nor well: but civil, count; civil as an
orange, and something of that jealous complexion…”

Here, Beatrice is mocking Claudio, saying he is “civil” like a bitter orange, which describes the bitter feelings of Claudio. This is a pun on the name “Seville,” which is pronounced as “ci-VIL,” and is the place from where these oranges had come.

Function of Homograph

Homographs are used as a word play to create humorous and comic effects in literary writings, in theater, and in limerick form of poetry. Frequently, in literary works, these make readers think and laugh, and increase the clarity of text by playing with specific words. Generally, it is done voluntarily to create humor and wryness. It also increases the vocabulary of readers by introducing secondary or multiple meanings of the terms.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From homo- +‎ -graph.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɒməɡɹɑːf/, /ˈhəʊməɡɹæf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑːməɡɹæf/, /ˈhoʊməɡɹæf/
• ,

Noun[edit]

homograph (plural homographs)

1. A word that is spelled the same as another word, usually having a different etymology.
2. (computing) A text character or string that looks identical to another when rendered.

   Hyponym: homoglyph

Usage notes[edit]

Homographs are a kind of homonym in the loose sense of that term, i.e. a word that is either a homophone (same sound) or a homograph (same spelling). (The strict sense of homonym is a word that both sounds and is spelled the same as another word.) Specifically, homographs must have the same spelling, though they usually have different meanings and may be pronounced differently.

• The verb bear (“to carry”) and the noun bear (“large omnivorous mammal”) are homographs with the same pronunciation and different etymological origins.
• The verb alternate (“to go back and forth”) and the adjective alternate (“following by turns”) are homographs with different pronunciations but close etymological origins. Such homographs are also heteronyms.
• The verb meet (“to encounter”) and the noun meat (“food”) are not homographs since they have different spellings.

[edit]

• allograph
• autograph
• homeograph
• homoglyph
• homographic
• homography
• isograph

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• polyphone

Further reading[edit]

• homograph on Wikipedia.Wikipedia