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Last updated:
December 11, 2022
The Bare Necessities: 25 Pairs of English Homophones You’ll Need in Life
English pronunciation can be pretty weird.
If you’ve been learning English for even a short amount of time, you’ve probably noticed that, right?
Maybe you were surprised to discover that the number “two” was pronounced the same as the word “to.”
Or when you started learning the past tense, perhaps you thought it was strange that “ate” was pronounced the same as the number “eight.”
Believe me, this can also be strange and confusing for native English speakers, so you’re not alone.
Or is it “your not alone”? No, I’m just kidding, I did mean to say “you’re not alone,” but it’s true that you can find many examples of native speakers confusing sets of words like “you’re” and “your.”
Words like these, which sound the same but have different meanings, are called homophones. In this post, you’re going to learn over 25 pairs of homophones that you’ll definitely want to know. Let’s start by taking a closer look at the meaning of the word “homophone.”
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What Is a Homophone?
As mentioned above, sets of words like “you’re” and “your” are called homophones. The root of that word, homo-, means “same,” and the root phone- means “sound.” Homophones are two words that sound the same, but have different meanings. So the words “two” and “to” are homophones, as are “ate” and “eight.”
There’s another word that begins with homo-, which native speakers often confuse with homophone: homonym. Again, the root homo- means “same,” but –nym means “name.” A homonym is a single word (with one spelling) that has more than one meaning.
An example of a homonym is the word “bear.” You probably know about the animal called a “bear,” but the word “bear” can also be a verb that means to tolerate. For example, “I’m so nervous about watching this game, I can’t bear to watch the last minute!” But today we’ll just focus on homophones.
Why Does English Have so Many Homophones?
A word’s pronunciation in English may not always be the same as its spelling. French is also similar in this way, because there can be multiple words with one pronunciation.
Chinese homophones are also really interesting. There’s even a famous Chinese story where every single word is some variation of the word “shi”!
Other languages, like Spanish or German, for example, are more consistent with spelling and pronunciation. In those languages, words usually sound like they’re spelled. Still, even those languages have some homophones at least. The point is that basically every language has homophones, so try not to get frustrated when you’re learning them.
However, English does have many vowel sounds, many silent letters, and lots of words that come from many other different languages. As a result, there are also lots of homophones in English.
To help you learn these, we’ve put together some cool tips, plus a handy list of some of the most common homophones in English.
How Can You Learn English Homophones?
There’s a popular saying in English: “Practice makes perfect.” That means that if you want to become an expert at something (like learning homophones or even English in general), you have to practice a lot. Fortunately, if you want to practice homophones, there are many ways to do so.
Vocabulary notebook
This is probably the easiest way to practice, and if you already have a piece of paper and a pen/pencil, it’s free!
If my students ask for ways to improve their vocabulary, I often suggest that they should always keep a small vocabulary notebook with them. I did this when I was learning German and Spanish, and you can do the same.
Every time you hear a new word or phrase, write it down in your notebook. You can also write down a definition, a synonym or an example sentence. All of those pieces will help you remember the word.
Naturally, you can use this same notebook for homophones. It might help to make a separate list or a separate section for homophones, but you can use whatever system works best for you.
Especially if you’re a visual learner or a person who learns things by writing them down (like I do), then this technique is a great way to add words to your English vocabulary.
Books with homophones
There are some books that specifically focus on homophones in a fun way. Two popular ones are “A Chocolate Moose for Dinner” and “The King Who Rained,” both by Fred Gwynne. Another is “Dear Deer” by Gene Barretta. You can find these books at bookstores or online, but it may be hard to find digital copies, since they’re a bit old.
There are also videos of people reading the books (here are the videos for “A Chocolate Moose for Dinner,” “The King Who Rained” and “Dear Deer”), but unfortunately the video quality isn’t always that good. Still, you can follow the stories and see some examples of fun wordplay using homophones.
Songs and sites online
As with so many things, the Internet can be a wonderful resource for learning English! You can find more information about the books I mentioned above, and there are also other sites and videos that people have made to help you learn homophones.
There are funny (and weird) videos like this homophone song video and this ballad between a man and a lion. Or, if you have 46 minutes, you’re welcome to watch this great but really long video that combines tons of English homophones, including their pronunciation! I’ll also include some links to videos and websites that can help with specific homophone sets in our list of homophones below.
Finally, there are other sites that can help you learn homophones. One that I recommend is called Grammarist.com. It includes other topics in addition to homophones, but it often features homophone sets. Plus, the other vocabulary is usually relevant to news events, so it’s a great general site if you want to build up your vocabulary.
Depending on how long you’ve been learning English, you may know a lot of these already. But I created this list so that even high-level English learners can find some new or interesting words. So hopefully there will be at least a few words that you didn’t know before!
For each set of words, I’ll include a short definition and an example of the words in use. Then I’ll include an interesting note related to the words, like a similar word or a link to a video, comic or website.
One more note, and then I promise we’ll get to the homophones. Most of these are homophones in any dialect of English, but because of small pronunciation differences, there are some words that are homophones in American English but not in British English, and vice-versa.
Also, there are a few homophones that are more common in American English than in British English, and vice-versa. You can find a list of specifically British homophones here, but again, most of them are also homophones in American English. Phew! Don’t worry if that sounded complicated, we’ll only focus on clear homophones today.
1. ate, eight
ate (verb): This is the simple past tense of the verb “to eat.”
I ate an entire pizza and now I’m really full and tired.
eight (noun): The number after seven and before nine.
Charles will wake up at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.
Interesting note: There is a popular children’s joke that goes like this:
Q: Why was 6 afraid of 7?
A: Because 7 ate 9.
Yes, it’s pronounced “because 7 8 9,” and yes, it’s a pretty bad joke. But most kids’ jokes are bad.
2. bare, bear
bare (adjective): If something is bare, it means that it’s not covered or not decorated.
Tom likes to walk around his house in bare feet. He says it’s more comfortable than wearing shoes.
bear (noun): A large mammal.
When you go camping, you should be careful to not leave any food or anything with a scent in your tent because they can attract bears.
Interesting note: Bears are often popular characters in stories and cartoons.
3. buy, by, bye
to buy (verb): A synonym of “to purchase.” It’s probably one of the first verbs you learned.
I forgot my money at home. Do you think you could buy me lunch and I’ll pay you back tomorrow?
by (preposition): This can be used in many different ways. It’s commonly used to mean “next to” or “near” when describing a location. It can also indicate who created something.
My favorite autobiography is “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” It’s written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley.
bye (exclamation): This is a shortening of “goodbye.”
I’ve got to go now, so bye! See you on Sunday!
Interesting note: This is a set of three homophones, but you could also possibly include the prefix “bi-.” It means “two,” as in “bipedal” (something that uses two legs), but it can also be an adjective as an abbreviation for “bisexual.” So if you include “bi,” then this can actually be a set of four homophones!
4. cell, sell
cell (noun): A cell is a small area or room, usually in a prison. A cell can also be one of the smallest divisions of a living organism.
The prisoner spent 10 years in his cell.
to sell (verb): To exchange a product or service for money. Like “buy,” it was probably one of the first verbs you learned.
We would like to sell our car, but we don’t think we’d get very much money for it.
Interesting note: Monks (men) and nuns (women) are two groups of religious people who live in monasteries or convents. Their rooms are also called “cells,” and they actually do look a bit similar to a prison cell!
5. dew, do, due
dew (noun): Dew is the name for small drops of water that accumulate (gather) on plants and other objects outside during the night.
When I went outside early in the morning, the dew on the grass made my shoes wet.
to do (verb): This common verb is used to indicate an action. It can also be an auxiliary verb.
What do you usually do on Friday nights?
due (adjective): This is used to indicate the deadline (final day) that something can happen. It’s also used to indicate when a baby will probably be born.
My friend is pregnant. Her baby is due in October.
Interesting note: The soft drink company Mountain Dew played with this homophone set with its motto “Do the Dew.“
6. eye, I
eye (noun): The part of your body that you use to see.
My eyes hurt when I read. I think I need a pair of glasses.
I (pronoun): A first person singular subject pronoun.
I really hope you know what this word means.
Interesting note: This can actually be a three-word homophone if you include the word “aye.” That’s an old-fashioned way of saying “yes.” You might hear people on boats show that they’re following an order by saying “Aye-aye, captain!” And there’s a strange-looking animal called an “aye-aye,” also. I learned that just a minute ago, so even native speakers learn new words every day!
7. fairy, ferry
fairy (noun): A mythical creature that can often do magic.
There is a fairy named Tinkerbell in the story “Peter Pan.”
ferry (noun): A ferry is a boat that moves passengers and vehicles across water. It’s used for long distances or places where there are no bridges.
The ferry in Costa Rica is really hot and incredibly badly organized. At least the trip only takes an hour.
Interesting note: There is a common mythical fairy in some parts of the world called the Tooth Fairy. She’s especially popular in the USA. The story is that when a child loses a tooth, he or she should put the tooth under their pillow. Then, while they sleep, the Tooth Fairy will replace the tooth with a coin.
8. flour, flower
flour (noun): This is the main ingredient in bread. It’s a powder made from ground grains.
Tony wanted to make a cake, but he didn’t have any flour, so he couldn’t.
flower (noun): The decorative, colorful part of a plant.
If you want to give flowers to somebody you love, avoid white roses. They are often given when someone dies.
Interesting note: In some languages, there is an element that has a name similar to “flour.” But in English, the element is called “fluoride,” and the “u” is silent.
9. for, four
for (preposition): This preposition is usually used to indicate a person who receives something, or to indicate a purpose.
We wanted to buy a chocolate cake for Cheryl’s birthday. The bakery didn’t have any chocolate cakes for sale, though, so we got vanilla instead.
four (noun): The number after three and before five.
The Beatles, one of the most famous bands ever, had four members: George, John, Paul and Ringo.
Interesting note: This is another set of homophones that can also include a third: If you’re playing golf, you should yell “Fore!” right before you hit the ball. This warns other people to look out for your ball.
10. hear, here
to hear (verb): This is the action that you do with your ears. The sense is called “hearing.”
I can’t hear the TV. Can you please turn up the volume?
here (adverb): “Here” indicates the place where you are at any moment. It’s the opposite of “there,” basically.
Can you set the boxes down over here please? Yes, right here next to the door.
Interesting note: The expression “Hear, hear!” is used to indicate that you agree with something. But it’s usually used in formal situations, and it’s not very common in modern English.
11. hour, our
hour (noun): A period of time that lasts 60 minutes.
It takes about six hours to drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
our (pronoun): This is the possessive pronoun form of “we.”
We should study for our exams.
Interesting note: Depending on a speaker’s accent and the way they’re using the word, these two might not always sound like homophones. Also, to make things more confusing, the word “our” is sometimes pronounced as a homophone to “are.”
12. know, no
to know (verb): To have knowledge or understanding about something.
Reggie knows how to speak French.
no (determiner): This indicates a negation or something that’s not true.
There is no good reason to listen to Justin Bieber.
Interesting note: This pair of words made me think of some interesting songs. Radiohead has a song called “A Punchup at a Wedding (No no no no no no no no),” Beirut has one called “No No No” and Destiny’s Child has two songs called “No, No, No” (part 1 and part 2. Personally, I like part 2 better).
Also, I discovered that there is a Swedish band (that sings in English) called NONONO. See, you learn something new every day!
13. knight, night
knight (noun): A man given a special honor (or rank) by a king or queen. Their title is usually “Sir.”
One popular English legend talks about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
night (noun): The period of time when it’s dark and most people sleep.
I prefer to work at night, since it’s quieter and not as hot. I can concentrate better.
Interesting note: There was a popular TV show in the 1980s called “Knight Rider,” but many people thought it was “Night Rider.” It was actually called “Knight Rider” because the main character, played by David Hasselhoff, was named Michael Knight.
Also, an additional fun note: I live in Costa Rica, and here “Knight Rider” was called “El Auto Fantástico,” or “The Fantastic Car”!
14. mail, male
(to) mail (verb or noun): As a noun, this is a collective noun for letters and packages. As a verb, this means to send something to somebody. Email also comes from this word.
I haven’t gotten the mail yet today, but I was expecting a letter from grandma. Can you please check the mailbox?
male (adjective or noun): An adjective (or noun) indicating that something is masculine or has masculine reproductive organs.
People always ask if our cat is pregnant. I tell them he can’t be, since he’s a male. He’s just fat.
Interesting note: In British English, they usually use the word “post” as a verb or a noun, instead of “mail.”
15. marry, merry
to marry (verb): The action when two people have a wedding; also called “to get married.”
My grandpa told me to be sure to marry a good woman.
merry (adjective): A synonym for “happy,” but less common in modern English. Mostly used in phrases like “Merry Christmas!”
I don’t like to go shopping in December because the song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” always gets stuck in my head.
Interesting note: This is another example of a three-word homophone set, if you include the name “Mary.”
16. meat, meet
meat (noun): Edible flesh from an animal.
Vegetarians don’t eat meat.
to meet (verb): When you are introduced to a person for the first time. It can also refer to later meetings.
I’m excited to travel to England so I can meet some new people!
Interesting note: In English, you can generally only meet people, but not places. If you want to talk about seeing a place for the first time, you could say something like “I want to see Paris,” “I want to go to Paris,” or “I want to visit Paris.” But we generally don’t use the words “meet” or “know” with places.
17. pair, pear
pair (noun): A set of two things that go together.
Most of these examples of homophone sets are pairs of words, but some are groups of three or four words.
pear (noun): A delicious fruit.
I wanted to buy pears for my fruit salad, but they only had winter pears. I don’t like winter pears very much because they’re hard, so I got peaches instead.
Interesting note: This can also be a set of three words if you include the less-common verb to pare. It means to cut something to make it smaller.
18. right, write
right (adjective): This can mean either a synonym of “correct” or the opposite of “left.”
I should turn right when I get to 10th Street, right?
to write (verb): The action of making words or marks to represent ideas.
Jerry’s dream is to write a novel, but he hasn’t decided what the book should be about.
Interesting note: This can be yet another homophone set of three words if you include “rite,” which is a ceremony or ritual. There is also a common last name “Wright,” which is pronounced the same as “right,” “write” and “rite.”
19. sight, site
sight (noun): This is the sense that you use when you see or look.
Blind people can’t see. They have no sight.
site (noun): This is a synonym for “place.” The most common modern use is in the word “website.”
There’s an awesome site for language learners.
Interesting note: You guessed it: This can be another three-word set if you include the word “to cite,” which means “to reference.” For example, it’s commonly used in academic papers that have citations of other books.
20. son, sun
son (noun): A male child.
Grandma and grandpa had four sons and three daughters.
sun (noun): The star at the center of our solar system. It’s that big yellow thing in the sky during the day.
Don’t look directly at the sun, or you’ll damage your eyes. You may even lose your eyesight!
Interesting note: Don’t forget that the word “sons” only indicates males, and “daughters” is just females. If you want to indicate “sons and daughters” with only one word, you can say “children” (even if you’re talking about adults).
21. their, there, they’re
their (pronoun): The possessive pronoun for the subject “they.”
We should study for our English exam, and they should study for their German exam.
there (adverb): Remember the word “here” above? This is basically the opposite of that. “There” can refer to any place where you are not at.
Who is that over there? Is that Jane? If so, I hope she comes over here, since I want to talk to her.
they’re (contraction): This is a contraction of the phrase “they are.”
The children all passed their exams, so they’re very happy!
Interesting note: This is a bit funny, because this set of homophones actually seems to cause more trouble for native speakers than it does for English learners. There are even some great videos that are designed for native speakers, but people still get confused.
22. to, too, two
to (preposition): This usually indicates a direction that something is moving.
Every day Paul and Judy drive together to school.
too (adverb): “Too” can usually either mean “also,” or it can indicate that there is more of something than necessary (and it’s usually a problem).
I’m too full to finish this plate of food. I’ll ask the waiter if we can have a container to take it home. And I’ll ask for the bill, too.
two (noun): The number after one and before three.
Most homophone sets have two words, but some have three or four.
Interesting note: This is another set of homophones that confuse native speakers, too. But of course there are some fun videos available to help you!
23. one, won
one (noun): The number after zero and before two.
The musical group Three Dog Night said that one was the loneliest number.
won (verb): “Won” is the simple past and past participle form of the verb “to win.”
Grandpa won $500 in his poker game!
Interesting note: When you use a form of the verb “to win,” you can either indicate the event or the prize, but not the opponent. If you want to indicate the opponent, use the verb “to beat.” So in the example above, you could say “grandpa won $500″ or “grandpa won the poker game,” but you would say “grandpa beat all of his poker friends.”
24. wait, weight
to wait (verb): This means to stay in one place or to anticipate something.
It was snowing a lot, so the bus came late. I had to wait in the cold for 20 minutes.
weight (noun): This word indicates how heavy something is.
Every year around Christmas, many people gain a lot of weight because they eat lots of food but don’t exercise.
Interesting note: If you want to determine a person or an object’s weight, then the verb is “to weigh.” The machine you use to weigh something is called a scale.
25. wear, where
to wear (verb): To have clothing or accessories on your body.
I hate wearing ties. They’re uncomfortable, hot, and hard to tie. Do you wear ties?
where (interrogative): A question word used to ask for a location.
Where should we meet for dinner? Personally, I’d like to meet at the new Chinese restaurant in town.
Interesting note: Since this is our last set for this article, of course I’ll include another word for this homophone set: “ware.” It’s a suffix that indicates objects that are related. For example, stores often have housewares and kitchenware departments that sell things to use in your home or kitchen.
That’s it for today’s list! I hope that you learned some new words—I know I did! Happy learning!
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Homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have completely different meanings. Words like to, too, and two are homonyms. Using the wrong word when it sounds right can destroy the meaning of your prose. Worse yet, it confuses readers.
But, it gets even more confusing because scholars don’t agree on the differences between homonyms, homophones, and homographs. Merriam-Webster, a standard dictionary for American English, points out the confusion in its definition.
«Homonyms» can be troublesome because it may refer to three distinct classes of words: those with identical pronunciations but different spellings and meanings (sometimes called «homophones»); those with identical pronunciations and identical spellings but different meanings; and those that are spelled alike but are different in pronunciation and meaning (sometimes called «homographs»).
For you as a writer the key is to understand the spelling and meaning of the words you use in your text. Rather than get tangled up on labels and nomenclature, your challenge is to use the right word to convey your meaning.
The Top Five Sound and Meaning Confusion Words
The English language is rife with words that can be confused. Worse yet, spelling and grammar checkers may not catch them all. As you edit your writing, double-check the meaning of the words you use, because even seasoned writers may use a homonym in the heat of writing the first draft.
Now, let’s focus on the top five sets of words that are often confused.
1. To/Too/Two
To is a preposition that means headed toward or for and is also used in a verb infinitive. «Jim is going to the gym.»
Too is an adverb of degree. «I’m going to the gym too!» or «You go to the gym too much.»
And two is a number. «The two of them went to the gym together.»
2. Your/You’re
Your is a pronoun for a person other than you that implies possession. «Your book fell off the table.»
But you’re is a verb contraction of two words: you and are. «You’re going to lose that book.»
3. There/Their/They’re
There is especially confusing because it can be an adverb, a pronoun, a noun, an interjection, or an adjective. «There! I saw it over there.»
But it is still different from the possessive pronoun their. «Their cat escaped out the door.» Their used to always indicate the plural, but in the new gender-neutral environment it can also refer to a singular to avoid the his/her dichotomy. «Your reader may have their own thoughts about the blog post.»
They’re is a contraction of they and are. «They’re going to find the escaped cat.»
4. Right/Write/Rite
Right can be an adjective, noun, adverb, transitive verb, intransitive verb so the word itself has many uses. «He wants to right the right turn sign to the right position.»
The verb write can be both transitive and intransitive. Either way it expresses the act of writing. «She tells them she writes, and then writes six pages.»
Last, rite is a noun that represents a formal or ceremonial act or procedure. «He practices 20 minutes of meditation as his daily rite to start the day.»
5. Here/Hear
Here denotes a specific location meaning this particular place. «I’m over here!»
Hear is the act of listening with your ears. «Can you hear me?»
A look at these five examples illustrates how tricky homonyms can be for writers.
Know What You Mean
During editing, check for homonyms you may have missed in the fast pace of writing your thoughts. Using the right word keeps your writing clear. Your readers will understand your meaning.
Did you know that ProWritingAid offers a specific homonym report? Save yourself from these spelling and meaning confusions.
Have you tried ProWritingAid yet? What are you waiting for? It’s the best tool for making sure your copy is strong, clear, and error-free!
Homonyms
are words which are identical in sound and spelling, or, at least, in
one of these aspects, but different in their meaning, e.g. bank, n-a
shore, bank, n-an institution for receiving, lending, and
safeguarding money, ball, n-a sphere, any spherical body, ball, n-a
large dancing party.
The
most widely accepted classification of homonyms is the following:
homonyms proper, homophones and homographs.
Homonyms
proper
are words identical in pronunciation and spelling, like bark, in “the
noise made by a dog”, bark, n “the skin of a tree».
Homophones
are
words of the same sound but of different spelling and meaning:
air-heir, buy-bye, knight-night, peace-piece, write, right, rite.
Homographs
are
words different in sound and in meaning but accidentally identical in
spelling: bow [bou] – bow [bau], lead [li: d] – lead [led], row
[rou] – row [rau], wind [wind] – wind [waind].
Professor
A. I. Smirnitsky classified homonyms into two large classes: full
homonyms and partial homonyms.
Full
lexical homonyms are words which represent the same category of parts
of speech and have the same paradigm. Ex. Match, n – a game, a
contest —— Match, n — a short piece of wood used for producing
fire.
Partial
homonyms are subdivided into three large groups:
A)
Simple lexico-grammatical homonyms words which belong to the same
category of parts of speech. Their paradigms have one identical form,
but it is never the same form (to find – found (Past Indef., Past
Part. of to find)
B)
Complex lexico-grammatical partial homonyms are words of different
categories of part of speech which have one identical form in their
paradigms. e.g. rose, n — rose, v (Past Indef. Of to rise)
C)
Partial lexical homonyms are words of the same category of parts of
speech which are identical only in their corresponding forms. (to
hang (hung, hung), v — to hang (hanged, hanged), to can (canned,
canned — can (could).
Sources of homonyms
One
of the sources of homonyms is phonetic
changes
which words undergo in the course of their historical development. As
a result of such changes, two or more words which were formerly
pronounced differently may develop identical sound forms and thus
become homonyms. (Night and knight).
Borrowing
is another source of homonyms. A borrowed word may, in the final
stage of its phonetic adaptation, duplicate in form either a native
word or another borrowing. Bank, n (“shore”) – is a native
word, and bank, n (“a financial institution”) is an Italian
borrowing.
Word-building
also contributes significantly to the growth of homonymy, and the
most important type in this respect is undoubtedly conversion. Such
pairs of words as comb, n. — to comb, v., pale, adj. — to pale,
v., to make, v. — make, n. are numerous in the vocabulary. Homonyms
of this type, which are the same in sound and spelling but refer to
different categories of parts of speech, are called
lexico-grammatical
homonyms.
Shortening
is a further type of word-building which increases the number of
homonyms. E. g. fan, n. in the sense of «an enthusiastic admirer of
sport or of an actor, singer, etc.» is a shortening produced from
fanatic. Its homonym is a Latin borrowing fan, n. which denotes an
implement for waving lightly to produce a cool current of air.
Words
made by sound-imitation
can also form pairs of homonyms with other words: e. g. bang, n. («a
loud, sudden, explosive noise») — bang, n. («a fringe of hair
combed over the forehead»). Also: mew, n. («the sound a cat makes»)
— mew, n. («a sea gull»).
Two
or more homonyms can originate from different meanings of the same
word when, for some reason, the semantic structure of the word breaks
into several parts. This type of formation of homonyms is called
split
polysemy.
board,
n. — a long and thin piece of timber board, n. — daily meals,
esp. as provided for pay, e. g. room and board
board,
n. — an official group of persons who direct or supervise some
activity, e. g. a board of directors
spring,
n. — the act of springing, a leap spring, n. — a place where a
stream of water comes up out of the earth (R. родник, источник)
spring, n. — a season of the year.
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Chapter 9 homonyms: words of the same form
Homonyms are words which are identical in sound and spelling, or, at least, in one of these aspects, but different in their meaning.
E. g. bank, n. — a shore
bank, n.— an institution for receiving,
lending, exchanging, and
safeguarding money
ball, n. — a sphere; any spherical body
ball, n. — a large dancing party
English vocabulary is rich in such pairs and even groups of words. Their identical forms are mostly accidental: the majority of homonyms coincided due to phonetic changes which they suffered during their development.
If synonyms and antonyms can be regarded as the treasury of the language’s expressive resources, homonyms are of no interest in this respect, and one cannot expect them to be of particular value for communication. Metaphorically speaking, groups of synonyms and pairs of antonyms are created by the vocabulary system with a particular purpose whereas homonyms are accidental creations, and therefore purposeless.
In the process of communication they are more of an encumbrance, leading sometimes to confusion and misunderstanding. Yet it is this very characteristic which makes them one of the most important sources of popular humour.
The pun is a joke based upon the play upon words of similar form but different meaning (i. e. on homonyms) as in the following:
«A tailor guarantees to give each of his customers a perfect fit.»
(The joke is based on the homonyms: I. fit, n. — perfectly fitting clothes; II. fit, n. — a nervous spasm.)
Homonyms which are the same in sound and spelling (as the examples given in the beginning of this chapter) are traditionally termed homonyms proper.
The following joke is based on a pun which makes use of another type of homonyms:
«Waiter!»
«Yes, sir.» ,
«What’s this?»
«It’s bean soup, sir.»
«Never mind what it has been. I want to know what it is now.»
Bean, n. and been. Past Part. of to be are homophones. As the example shows they are the same in sound but different in spelling. Here are some more examples of homophones:
night, n. — knight, n.; piece, n. — peace, n.; scent, n. — cent, n. — Bent, v. (Past Indef., Past Part, of to send); rite, n. — to write, v. — right, adj.; sea, n. — to see, v. — С [sl:] (the name of a letter).
The third type of homonyms is called homographs. These are words which are the same in spelling but different in sound.
Sources of Homonyms
One source of homonyms has already been mentioned: phonetic changes which words undergo in the course of their historical development. As a result of such changes, two or more words which were formerly pronounced differently may develop identical sound forms and thus become homonyms.
Night and knight, for instance, were not homonyms in Old English as the initial k in the second word was pronounced, and not dropped as it is in its modern sound form: O. E. kniht (cf. О. Е. niht). A more complicated change of form brought together another pair of homonyms: to knead (O. E. cnedan) and to need (O. E. neodian).
In Old English the verb to write had the form writan, and the adjective right had the forms reht, riht. The noun sea descends from the Old English form sx, and the verb to see from O. E. seon. The noun work and the verb to work also had different forms in Old English: wyrkean and weork respectively.
Borrowing is another source of homonyms. A borrowed word may, in the final stage of its phonetic adaptation, duplicate in form either a native word or another borrowing. So, in the group of homonyms rite, n. — to write, v. — right, adj. the second and third words are of native origin whereas rite is a Latin borrowing (< Lat. ritus). In the pair piece, n. —peace, n., the first originates from O. F. pais, and the second from O. F. (< Gaulish) pettia. Bank, n. («shore») is a native word, and bank, n. («a financial institution») is an Italian borrowing. Fair, adj. (as in a fair deal, it’s not fair) is native, and fair, a. («a gathering of buyers and sellers») is a French borrowing. Match, n. («a game; a contest of skill, strength») is native, and match, n. («a slender short piece of wood used for producing fire») is a French borrowing.
Word-building also contributes significantly to the growth of homonymy, and the most important type in this respect is undoubtedly conversion. Such pairs of words as comb, n. — to comb, v., pale, adj. — to pale, v., to make, v. — make, n. are numerous in the vocabulary. Homonyms of this type, which are the same in sound and spelling but refer to different categories of parts of speech, are called lexico-grammatical homonyms. [12]
Shortening is a further type of word-building which increases the number of homonyms. E. g. fan, n. in the sense of «an enthusiastic admirer of some kind of sport or of an actor, singer, etc.» is a shortening produced from fanatic. Its homonym is a Latin borrowing fan, n. which denotes an implement for waving lightly to produce a cool current of air. The noun rep, n. denoting a kind of fabric (cf. with the R. репс) has three homonyms made by shortening: rep, n. (< repertory), rep, n. (< representative), rep, n. (< reputation)’, all the three are informal words.
During World War II girls serving in the Women’s Royal Naval Service (an auxiliary of the British Royal Navy) were jokingly nicknamed Wrens (informal). This neologistic formation made by shortening has the homonym wren, n. «a small bird with dark brown plumage barred with black» (R. крапивник).
Words made by sound-imitation can also form pairs of homonyms with other words: e. g. bang, n. («a loud, sudden, explosive noise») — bang, n. («a fringe of hair combed over the forehead»). Also: mew, n. («the sound a cat makes») — mew, n. («a sea gull») — mew, n. («a pen in which poultry is fattened») — mews («small terraced houses in Central London»).
The above-described sources of homonyms have one important feature in common. In all the mentioned cases the homonyms developed from two or more different words, and their similarity is purely accidental. (In this respect, conversion certainly presents an exception for in pairs of homonyms formed by conversion one word of the pair is produced from the other: a find < to find.)
Now we come to a further source of homonyms which differs essentially from all the above cases. Two or more homonyms can originate from different meanings of the same word when, for some reason, the semantic structure of the word breaks into several parts. This type of formation of homonyms is called split polysemy.
From what has been said in the previous chapters about polysemantic words, it should have become clear that the semantic structure of a polysemantic word presents a system within which all its constituent meanings are held together by logical associations. In most cases, the function of the arrangement and the unity is determined by one of the meanings (e. g. the meaning «flame» in the noun fire — see Ch. 7, p. 133). If this meaning happens to disappear from the word’s semantic structure, associations between the rest of the meanings may be severed, the semantic structure loses its unity and falls into two or more parts which then become accepted as independent lexical units.
Let us consider the history of three homonyms:
board, n. — a long and thin piece of timber
board, n. — daily meals, esp. as provided for pay,
e. g. room and board
board, n. — an official group of persons who direct
or supervise some activity, e. g. a board
of directors
It is clear that the meanings of these three words are in no way associated with one another. Yet, most larger dictionaries still enter a meaning of board that once held together all these other meanings «table». It developed from the meaning «a piece of timber» by transference based on contiguity (association of an object and the material from which it is made). The meanings «meals» and «an official group of persons» developed from the meaning «table», also by transference based on contiguity: meals are easily associated with a table on which they are served; an official group of people in authority are also likely to discuss their business round a table.
Nowadays, however, the item of furniture, on which meals are served and round which boards of directors meet, is no longer denoted by the word board but by the French Norman borrowing table, and board in this meaning, though still registered by some dictionaries, can very well be marked as archaic as it is no longer used in common speech. That is why, with the intrusion of the borrowed table, the word board actually lost its corresponding meaning. But it was just that meaning which served as a link to hold together the rest of the constituent parts of the word’s semantic structure. With its diminished role as an element of communication, its role in the semantic structure was also weakened. The speakers almost forgot that board had ever been associated with any item of furniture, nor could they associate the concepts of meals or of a responsible committee with a long thin piece of timber (which is the oldest meaning of board). Consequently, the semantic structure of board was split into three units. The following scheme illustrates the process:
Board, n. (development of meanings)
 |
Board I, II, III, n. (split polysemy)
A somewhat different case of split polysemy may be illustrated by the three following homonyms:
spring, n. — the act of springing, a leap spring, n. — a place where a stream of water comes up out of the earth (R. родник, источник)
spring, n. — a season of the year.
Historically all three nouns originate from the same verb with the meaning of «to jump, to leap» (O. E. springan), so that the meaning of the first homonym is the oldest. The meanings of the second and third homonyms were originally based on metaphor. At the head of a stream the water sometimes leaps up out of the earth, so that metaphorically such a place could well be described as a leap. On the other hand, the season of the year following winter could be poetically defined as a leap from the darkness and cold into sunlight and life. Such metaphors are typical enough of Old English and Middle English semantic transferences but not so characteristic of modern mental and linguistic processes. The poetic associations that lay in the basis of the semantic shifts described above have long since been forgotten, and an attempt to re-establish the lost links may well seem far-fetched. It is just the near-impossibility of establishing such links that seems to support the claim for homonymy and not for polysemy with these three words.
It should be stressed, however, that split polysemy as a source of homonyms is not accepted by some scholars. It is really difficult sometimes to decide whether a certain word has or has not been subjected to the split of the semantic structure and whether we are dealing 5 with different meanings of the same word or with homonyms, for the criteria are subjective and imprecise. The imprecision is recorded in the data of different dictionaries which often contradict each other on this very issue, so that board is represented as two homonyms in Professor V. K. Muller’s dictionary [41], as three homonyms in Professor V. D. Arakin’s [36] and as one and the same word in Hornby’s dictionary [45].
Spring also receives different treatment. V. K. Muller’s and Hornby’s dictionaries acknowledge but two homonyms: I. a season of the year, II. a) the act of springing, a leap, b) a place where a stream of water comes up out of the earth; and some other meanings, whereas V. D. Arakin’s dictionary presents the three homonyms as given above.
Classification of Homonyms
The subdivision of homonyms into homonyms proper, homophones and homographs is certainly not precise enough and does not reflect certain important features of these words, and, most important of all, their status as parts of speech. The examples given in the beginning of this chapter show that homonyms may belong both to the same and to different categories of parts of speech. Obviously, a classification of homonyms should reflect this distinctive feature. Also, the paradigm of each word should be considered, because it has been observed that the paradigms of some homonyms coincide completely, and of others only partially.
Accordingly, Professor A. I. Smirnitsky classified homonyms into two large classes: I. full homonyms, II. partial homonyms [15].
Full lexical homonyms are words which represent the same category of parts of speech and have the same paradigm.
Partial homonyms are subdivided into three subgroups:
A. Simple lexico-grammatical partial homonyms are words which belong to the same category of parts of speech. Their paradigms have one identical form, but it is never the same form, as will be seen from the examples.
B. Complex lexico-grammatical partial homonyms are words of different categories of parts of speech which have one identical form in their paradigms.
E. g. rose, n.
rose, v. (Past Indef. of to rise}
maid, n.
made, v. (Past Indef., Past Part. of to make}
left, adj.
left, v. (Past Indef., Past Part. of to leave)
bean, n.
been, v. (Past Part. of to be)
one, num.
won, v. (Past Indef., Past Part. of to win)
C. Partial lexical homonyms are words of the same category of parts of speech which are identical only in their corresponding forms.
E. g. to lie (lay, lain), v.
to lie (lied, lied), v.
to hang {hung, hung}, v.
to hang (hanged, hanged), v.
to can canned, canned)
(I) can (could)
Exercises
I. Consider your answers to the following.
1. Which words do we call homonyms?
2. Why can’t homonyms be regarded as expressive means of the language?
3. What is the traditional classification of homonyms? Illustrate your answer with examples.
4. What are the distinctive features of the classification of homonyms suggested by Professor A. I. Smirnitsky?
5. What are the main sources of homonyms? Illustrate your answer with examples.
6. In what respect does split polysemy stand apart from other sources of homonyms?
7. Prove that the language units board («a long and thin piece of timber») and board («daily meals») are two different words (homonyms) and not two different meanings of one and the same word. Write down some other similar examples.
8. What is the essential difference between homonymy and polysemy? What do they have in common? Illustrate your answer with examples.
II. Find the homonyms in the following extracts. Classify them into homonyms proper, homographs and homophones.
1. «Mine is a long and a sad tale!» said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing. «It is a long tail, certainly,» said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse’s tail; «but why do you call it sad?» 2. a) My seat was in the middle of a row. b) «I say, you haven’t had a row with Corky, have you?» 3. a) Our Institute football team got a challenge to a match from the University team and we accepted it. b) Somebody struck a match so that we could see each other. 4. a) It was nearly December but the California sun made a summer morning of the season, b) On the way home Crane no longer drove like a nervous old maid. 5. a) She loved to dance and had every right to expect the boy she was seeing almost every night in the week to take her dancing at least once on the weekend, b) «That’s right,» she said. 6. a) Do you always forget to wind up your watch? b) Crane had an old Ford without a top and it rattled so much and the wind made so much noise. 7. a) In Brittany there was once a knight called Eliduc. b) She looked up through the window at the night. 8. a) He had a funny round face. b) — How does your house face? — It faces the South. 9. a) So he didn’t shake his hand because he didn’t shake cowards’ hands, see, and somebody else was elected captain.. b) Mel’s plane had been shot down into the sea. 10. a) He was a lean, wiry Yankee who knew which side his experimental bread was buttered on. b) He had a wife of excellent and influential family, as finely bred as she was faithful to him. 11. a) He was growing progressively deafer in the left ear. b) I saw that I was looking down into another cove similar to the one I had left. 12. a) Iron and lead are base metals. b) V/here does the road lead? 13. Kikanius invited him and a couple of the other boys to join him for a drink, and while Hugo didn’t drink, he went along for the company.
III. On what linguistic phenomenon is the joke in the following extracts based? What causes the misunderstanding?
1. «Are your father and mother in?» asked the visitor of the small boy who opened the door.
«They was in,» said the child, «but they is out.» «They was in. They is out. Where’s your grammar?» «She’s gone upstairs,» said the boy, «for a nap.»
2. «Yes, Miss Janes, it’s true my husband has left his job. He thought it was better for him to enlist rather than to be called up. Anyway, he has burned his bridges behind him.»
«Oh, well, I shouldn’t worry about that. They’ll provide him with a uniform in the Army,» commented the neighbour.
3. «I got sick last night eating eggs.»
«Too bad.»
«No, only one.»
4. Husband and wife were enjoying a quiet evening by their fireside, he deep in a book and she in a crossword puzzle. Suddenly she questioned him:’
«Darling, what is a female sheep?»
«Ewe [ju:]>» he replied. His further explanation hardly soothed her.
5. «I spent last summer in a very pretty city in Switzerland.»
«Berne?»
«No, I almost froze.»
6. Officer (to driver in parked car): Don’t you see that sign «Fine for parking»?
Driver: Yes, officer, I see and agree with it.
IV. a. Find the homonyms proper for the following words; give their Russian equivalents.
1. bared — a company of musicians. 2. seal — a warm-blooded, fish-eating sea-animal, found chiefly in cold regions. 3. ear — the grain-bearing spike of a cereal plant, as in corn. 4. cut — the result of cutting. 5. to bore — to make a long round hole, esp. with a pointed tool that is turned round. 6. corn — a hard, horny thickening of the skin, esp. on the foot. 7. fall — the act of falling, dropping or coming down. 8. to hail — to greet, salute, shout an expression of welcome. 9. ray — any of several cartilaginous fishes, as the stingray, skate, etc. 10. draw — something that attracts attention.
b. Find the homophones to the following words, translate them into Russian or explain their meanings in English.
Heir, dye, cent, tale, sea, week, peace, sun, meat, steel, knight, sum, coarse, write, sight, hare.
c. Find the homographs to the following words and transcribe both.
1. To bow — to bend the head or body. 2. wind — air in motion. 3. to tear— to pull apart by force. 4. to desert -— to go away from a person or place. 5. row — a number of persons or things in a line.
V. a. Classify the following italicized homonyms. Use Professor A. I. Smirnitsky’s classification system.
1. a) He should give the ball in your honour as the bride, b) The boy was playing with a ball. 2. a) He wished he could explain about his left ear, b) He left the sentence unfinished. 3. a) I wish you could stop lying. b) The yellow mouse was still dead, lying as it had fallen in the crystal clear liquid. 4. a) This time, he turned on the light, b) He wore $300 suits with light ties and he was a man you would instinctively trust anywhere.
5. a) When he’s at the door of her room, he sends the page ahead, b) Open your books at page 20.
6. a) Crockett’s voice rose for the first time. b) I’ll send you roses, one rose for each year of your life. 7. a) He was bound to keep the peace for six months, b) You should bound your desires by reason. 8. a) The pain was almost more than he could bear. b) Catch the bear before you sell his skin. 9. a) To can means to put up in airtight tins or jars for preservation, b) A man can die but once.
b. Explain the homonyms which form the basis for the following jokes. Classify the types as in part a.
1. An observing man claims to have discovered the colour of the wind. He says he went out and found it blew.
2. Child: Mummy, what makes the Tower of Pisa lean?
Fat mother: I have no idea, dear, or I’d take some myself.
3. Advertisement: «Lion tamer wants tamer lion.»
4. F a t h e r; Didn’t I tell you not to pick any flowers without leave?
Child: Yes, daddy, but all these roses had leaves.
5. Diner: Waiter, the soup is spoiled.
Waiter: Who told you that?
Diner: A little swallow.
6. The difference between a cat and a comma is that a cat has its claws at the end of its paws, and a comma has its pause at the end of a clause.
7. A canner exceedingly canny
One morning remarked to his grannie:
«A canner can can anything that he can,
But a canner can’t can a can, can’e?»
VI. Provide homonyms for the italicized words in the following jokes and extracts and classify them according to Professor A. I. Smirnitsky’s classification system.
1.Teacher: Here is a map. Who can show us America?
Nick goes to the map and finds America on it.
Teacher: Now, tell me, boys, who found America?
Boys: Nick.
2. F a t h e r: I promised to buy you a car if you passed your examination, and you have failed. What were you doing last term?
Sоn: I was learning to drive a car.
3. «What time do you get up in summer?»
«As soon as the first ray of the sun comes into my window.»
«Isn’t that rather early?»
«No, my room faces west.»
4. «Here, waiter, it seems to me that this fish is not so fresh as the fish you served us last Sunday.» «Pardon, sir, it is the very same fish.»
5. Old Gentleman: Is it a board school you go to, my dear?
Child: No, sir. I believe it be a brick one!
6. Stanton: I think telling the truth is about as healthy as skidding round a corner at sixty.
Freda: And life’s got a lot of dangerous corners — hasn’t it, Charles?
Stanton: It can have — if you don’t choose your route well. To lie or not to lie — what do you think, Olwen?
(From Dangerous Corner by J. B. Priestley)
VII. Explain how the following italicized words became homonyms.
1. a) Eliduc’s overlord was the king of Brittany, who was very fond of the knight, b) «I haven’t slept a wink all night, my eyes just wouldn’t shut.» 2. a) The tiger did not spring, and so I am still alive, b) It was in a saloon in Savannah, on a hot night in spring. 3. a) She left her fan at home. b) John is a football fan. 4. a) «My lady, … send him a belt or a ribbon — or a ring. So see if it pleases him.» b) Eliduc rode to the sea. 5. a) The Thames in London is now only beautiful from certain viewpoints — from Waterloo Bridge at dawn and at night from Cardinal’s Wharf on the South Bank. b) Perhaps the most wide-spread pleasure is the spectacle of the City itself, its people, the bank messengers in their pink frock coats and top hats. 6. a) The young page gave her good advice: no need to give up hope so soon. b) The verb to knead means to mix and make into a mass, with the hands or by machinery, especially, mix flour and water into dough for making bread. 7. a.) Ads in America are ubiquitous. They fill the newspapers and cover the walls, they are on menu cards and in your daily post. b) «Is that enough?» asked Fortune. «Just a few more, add a few more,» said the man. 8. a) The teacher told her pupils to write a composition about the last football match, b) Give me a match, please. 9. a) I can answer that question, b) He had no answer. 10. a) Does he really love me? b) Never trust a great man’s love. 11. a) Board and lodging, £ 2 a week. b) The proficiency of students is tested by the Examining Board. 12. a) A rite is a form in which a ceremony or observance is carried out. b) I would write letters to people. c) He put the belt on himself, and was rather careful to get it right.
VIII. Do the following italicized words represent homonyms or polysemantic words? Explain reasons for your answers.
1. 26 letters of the ABC; to receive letters regularly. 2. no mean scholar; to mean something. 3. to propose a toast; an underdone toast. 4. a hand of the clock; to hold a pen in one’s hand. 5. to be six foot long; at the foot of the mountain. 6. the capital of a country; to have a big capital (money). 7. to date back to year 1870; to have a date with somebody. 8. to be engaged to Mr. N; to be engaged in conversation. 9. to make a fire; to sit at the /ire(place). 10. to peel the bark off the branch; to bark loudly at the stranger. 11. A waiter is a person who, instead of waiting on you at once, makes you wait for him, so that you become a waiter too.
IX. To revise what you have learned from the preceding chapters, say everything you can about the italicized words in one of the following aspects:
1. a) etymology, b) word-building, c) homonymy.
A boy came home with torn clothes, his hair full of dust and his face bearing marks of a severe conflict.
«Oh, Willie,» said his mother. «You disobeyed me again. You must not play with that Smith boy. He is a bad boy».
«Ma,» said Willie, washing the blood from his nose, «do I look as if I had been playing with anybody?»
2. a) etymology, b) word-building, c) stylistic characteristics
«But I love the Italians,» continued Mrs. Blair. «They are so obliging — though even that has its embarrassing side. You ask them the way somewhere, and instead of saying «first to the right, second to the left» or something that one could follow, they pour out a flood of well-meaning directions, and when you look bewildered they take you kindly by the arm and walk all the way there with you.»
(From The Man in the Brown Suit by A. Christie)
3. a) stylistic characteristics, b) semantics, e) word-building.
Once in the driving seat, with reins handed to him, and blinking over his pale old cheeks in the full sunlight, he took a slow look round. Adolf was already up behind; the cockaded groom at the horses’ head stood ready to go; everything was prepared for the signals, and Swithin gave it. The equipage dashed forward, and before you could say Jack Robinson, with a rattle and flourish drew up at Soames’ door.
(From The Forsyte Saga. by J. Galsworthy)
4. a) homonymy, b) word-building.
Soames arrived on the stroke of time, and took his seat alongside the Board, who, in a row, each Director behind his own inkpot, faced their Shareholders.
In the centre of this row old Jolyon, conspicuous in his black, tightly-buttoned frock-coat and his white moustaches, was leaning back with finger-tips crossed on a copy of the Directors’ report and accounts.
(Ibid.)