Definition:
A “homonym” is a word or phrase that is spelled or pronounced the same, or similarly, as another word but has a different meaning.
Homonyms can be further categorized into homographs and homophones, though homonyms cover both.
Homographs are words or phrases that are spelled similarly or the same but have different meanings and may be pronounced differently.
Homophones are words or phrases that sound similar or the same but have different meanings and may have different spellings.
True homonyms are words or phrases that have the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings.
Polysemy is a word or phrase that is spelled or pronounced similarly or the same, and has multiple related meanings. Polysemous words have meanings that are conceptually linked or derived from a common origin.
Etymology:
The term “homonym” comes from the Greek words “homos,” meaning “same,” and “onyma,” meaning “name.”
The term “homograph” comes from the Greek’ word “homos,” meaning “same,” and “graphos,” meaning “writing” or “to write.”
The term “homograph” comes from the Greek’ word “homos,” meaning “same,” and “phone,” meaning “sound” or “voice.”
The term “polysemy” comes from the Greek words “poly,” meaning “many,” and “sema,” meaning “sign.”
Description:
Examples of Homographs:
- “Bow” (to bend), and “bow” (a weapon for shooting arrows).
- “Lead” (to guide), and “lead” (a type of metal).
- “Tear” (to rip), and “tear” (a drop of liquid from the eye).
- “Wind” (movement of air), and “wind” (to twist or turn, pronounced “wīnd”).
Examples of Homophones:
- “Eye scream,” “eye‘s cream,” “I scream,” and “ice cream.” (Homographs of these are “eye see cream,” “I.C. cream,” “I see cream,” and “is cream,” as the letter “C” can represent the sound typically associated with the letters “S”).
- “Flour,” and “flower.”
- “Knight,” and “night.”
- “Knot,” and “not.”
- “Pair,” and “pear.”
- “Sea,” and “see.”
- “Tare,” and “tear.”
Examples of True Homonyms:
- “Bank” (the side of a river), and “bank” (a financial institution).
- “Bark” (the sound a dog makes), and “bark” (outermost layer of stems and roots of woody plants, including trees).
- “Fair” (just, equitable), and “fair” (a public event).
- “Tare” (weight of an empty container), “tare” (deduction for non-content weight), and “tare” (weedy vetch plants).
Examples of Polysemies:
- “Bat” (a flying mammal), and “bat” (a piece of sports equipment). These meanings are related since “bat” comes from an old word for “to strike” which is an action both the animal and the sports equipment can be associated with.
- “Beehive” and “behave.” These meanings are related as bees in a beehive exhibit highly organized and obedient behavior, which aligns with the concept of “behaving” in a disciplined or orderly manner.
- “Blue” (color), and “blue” (feeling sad). These meanings are related as the metaphorical use (feeling sad) is derived from the original meaning (the color blue).
- “Book” (a physical object with pages), and “book” (to reserve something). These meanings are related through the idea of recording or reserving information.
- “Bow” (a type of knot), “bow” (to bend forward as a gesture of respect, submission or surrendering, pronounced “bough”), and “bow” (arc). These meanings are related as they all contain SLM symbolism. Bow is related to S&M (BDSM) as tying a knot is related to bondage. Bow is related to arc as bending forward involves the act of bending, which means to follow the shape of an arc. Arc is a symbol of SLM. “To bow down” means “to surrender,” which is also the meaning of the word “Islam” which stems from the letters S-L-M.
- “C,” “sea,” and “see”. These meaning are related as they are just slightly different ways of saying and spelling the same thing, as the letter “C” can represent the sound typically associated with the letter “S.”
- “Come” (to arrive or move towards something) and “come” (to reach orgasm), and “cum” (slang for semen) and “cum” (to reach orgasm). These meanings are related as the metaphorical use (reaching orgasm) is derived from the original meanings (arriving at a destination or point, and the resulting fluid of the orgasmic experience).
- “Eye see,” “eyes,” “I.C.,” “ice,” “I see,” “is,” and “ISIS”. These meanings are related as they are just slightly different ways of saying and spelling the same thing, as the letter “C” can represent the sound typically associated with the letter “S.” “Is” means “forever,” “ice” is a SLM symbol as it is related to movement (the lack of movement), and “ISIS” is a repetitive way of saying “is,” also meaning “forever.”
- “Head” (part of the body), and “head” (leader of a group), and “head” (top part or front). These meanings are related through the concept of being at the top or forefront.
- “Is real” (claim), and “Israel” (country in the Middle East). These meanings are related since “Israel” means “Jacob,” which means “liar,” and “real” is a word mimicking the word “existence,” but is not the same.
- “Light” (electromagnetic radiation that can be percieved by the human eye), and “light” (not heavy), and lite (fewer calories, meaning less weight). These meanings are related as they share the notion of being easy or not burdensome. “Light in weight” means something is “not heavy,” and “light” in terms of illumination implies ease of visibility and movement.
- “Morning” (time of day), and “mourning” (emotional response to death or loss). These meanings are related as the “night” or “moon” symbolize death, and “morning” is the time after the night.
- “Mouse” (a small rodent), and “mouse” (a computer input device). These meanings are related because the computer mouse was named because it was small and had a cord that looked like a mouse’s tail.
- “Peace,” “peas,” and “piece.” These meanings are related as “peas” is a meronym of pod (meaning they are “a part of” or “a piece of” something), which relates to the word “piece.” The word “peace” relates to the word “piece” because “peace” actually means “war,” and the word “piece” is a slang word meaning “gun.”
- “Pray,” and “prey.” These meanings are related as “praying” is a symbol of prey mentality. If one is being attacked, the only way to not become a prey is to fight back. Sitting down and praying for something supernatural to come and save you is not going to save you. It’s going to result in you becoming prey.
- “Real eyes realize real lies” consists of three polysemies: “real eyes,” “realize,” and “real lies”. These meanings are related as they all contain the word “real,” which means “fantasy,” and “eyes” symbolically means “lies,” while combinding the letter “l” at the end of “real” with “eyes” also creates the sound “leyes.” “Leyes,” “lize,” and “lies” are related since they’re all homophones.
- “Ring” (a small circular band, typically worn on a finger,) and “ring” (the sound a bell makes). These meanings are related by the circular motion or shape. A ring (jewelry) is circular in shape, and a ringing sound often comes from a bell swinging in a circular motion.
- “So real” (claim), and “surreal” (blending perception of existence with fantasy). These meanings are related because “real” is a word mimicking the word “existence,” and “surreal” is a perfect description of that.”Three” (the number), and “tree” (a plant with a trunk and branches). These meanings are related as both “three” and “tree” symbolize hierarchy.
- “Sun” (the star in the center of out solar system), and “son” (male child in relation to his parents). These meanings are related as the fictional character “Jesus” is the “sun” and the “son.”
- “Tear” (to rip apart), and “tear” (a drop of liquid from the eye, pronounced “teer”). These meanings are related as “tear” is often used as rape symbolism, as one would cry getting their clothes torn off.
- “To,” “too,” and “two.” These meanings are related as “two” means “number 2,” “to” means “from one to the second,” and “too” means “also”, which combines two things.