|
|
|
|
The word homophone comes from the ancient Greek word homophonos. Homophones are words that sound alike but are different in spelling, meaning or origin. As English has borrowed so heavily from other languages two different words with different meanings have come to be sounded alike. Here are a few examples: The word idle comes from the Old English idel. The word idol, however, comes from the French idole which in turn came from the Greek eidos. The word fate derives from the Latin fatum (something spoken by the gods); while fete comes from the French word festum. The disparity between spelling and pronunciation can cause confusion. Learners must look at the origin of the words listed in this section to understand why the words have similar sound although they are spelt differently. Homophones lend themselves to punning. Here are some examples:
At the outer edge ma’am.
I must confess I was looking at the girls.
In the middle of winter.
They put out the sun
To redeem himself. Find either the meaning or a synonym for each of the following:
accede exceed accept except addition edition advice advise affect effect aisle isle allowed aloud all ready already alter altar ascent assent beach beech beetle betel belle bell berry bury birth berth bolder boulder borne Bourne breach breech brewed brood brows browse callous callus canvas canvass cellar seller choir quire currant current chalk chock cygnet signet dammed damned deign Dane descent dissent dependent dependant desert dessert discrete discreet douse dowse draft draught droop drupe ducked duct earn urn eerie eyrie elicit illicit elusive illusive ensure insure envelop envelope erupt irrupt eave eve except accept exceed accede
faint feint father farther feign fain flare flair floors floor flocks phlox flour flower freeze frieze friar frier
gaff gaffe gage gauge Gallup gallop gamble gambol gild guild gorilla guerilla grate great grill grille groin groyne guessed guest hail hale hangar hanger hart heart hoard horde heard herd hewed hued higher hire hoarse horse hoop whoop humerus humorous key quay knave nave knead need knight night knit nit knob nob knock nock kohl coal kraft craft kroon croon
lesson lessen manner manor mantle mantel meddle medal metal mettle morning mourning muscle mussel pendant pendent principle principal quartz quarts radical radicle serial cereal shear sheer sleigh slay
stare stair stationary stationery stile style surplus surplice throne thrown timber timbre timbal timbale vesical vesicle waive wave weighed wade whether weather wrest rest write rite wring ring wrote rote
Exercise: Use each of the following homophones in a sentence to show the difference in meaning:- throuh - threw; alter - altar; better - bettor; boos - booze; brows - browse; cache - cache; cast - caste; cellar - seller; core - corps; moose - mousse. Here are two interesting sites to visit: http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/ps4glehomy.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/recognising/homophones/quiz.shtml Find either the meaning or a synonym for each of the following:
accede exceed accept except addition edition advice advise affect effect aisle isle allowed aloud all ready already alter altar ascent assent beach beech beetle betel belle bell berry bury birth berth bolder boulder borne Bourne breach breech brewed brood brows browse callous callus canvas canvass cellar seller choir quire currant current chalk chock cygnet signet dammed damned deign Dane descent dissent dependent dependant desert dessert discrete discreet douse dowse draft draught droop drupe ducked duct earn urn eerie eyrie elicit illicit elusive illusive ensure insure envelop envelope erupt irrupt eave eve except accept exceed accede
faint feint father farther feign fain flare flair floors floor flocks phlox flour flower freeze frieze friar frier
gaff gaffe gage gauge Gallup gallop gamble gambol gild guild gorilla guerilla grate great grill grille groin groyne guessed guest hail hale hangar hanger hart heart hoard horde heard herd hewed hued higher hire hoarse horse hoop whoop humerus humorous key quay knave nave knead need knight night knit nit knob nob knock nock kohl coal kraft craft kroon croon
lesson lessen manner manor mantle mantel meddle medal metal mettle morning mourning muscle mussel pendant pendent principle principal quartz quarts radical radicle serial cereal shear sheer sleigh slay
stare stair stationary stationery stile style surplus surplice throne thrown timber timbre timbal timbale vesical vesicle waive wave weighed wade whether weather wrest rest write rite wring ring wrote rote
Exercise: Use each of the following homophones in a sentence to show the difference in meaning:- throuh - threw; alter - altar; better - bettor; boos - booze; brows - browse; cache - cache; cast - caste; cellar - seller; core - corps; moose - mousse. Here are two interesting sites to visit: http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/ps4glehomy.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/recognising/homophones/quiz.shtml
|
|
Send mail to shen@iafrica.com with comments, requests
etc.
|