8 ms·
Cool site / fun list. But -- and I realize this is pedantic, though if ever there were a time/place for it, it's commentary on a grammar site -- I feel "resign"
by chrisweekly 7y ago
Cool site / fun list. But -- and I realize this is pedantic, though if ever there were a time/place for it, it's commentary on a grammar site -- I feel "resign" doesn't quite belong on it. Resign (to sign again) is pronounced with a soft "ess", while (to quit) uses a "z" sound; they're different words w/ different pronunciations that happen to share the same spelling. Doesn't that make them homographs? Is there a special term for this case, perhaps homographic antonym, or anto-homograph?
- empath75 7y agoA lot of people would spell the first one re-sign.
- Spare_account 7y agoIndeed the function of the hyphenation is to avoid confusion with the homograph.
- jefftk 7y agoThe list is ones with the same spelling. If we went with same pronunciation we could add raise/raze.
- smudgymcscmudge 7y agoResign doesn’t really belong on this list. It isn’t an antonym of itself. Resign and resign are homographs with opposite(ish) meanings.
- XaspR8d 7y agoYeah, but that's a really challenging line to draw diachronically. For example, clip = to fasten originates from Old English `clyppan` (to embrace/clasp/surround), while clip = to cut originates somewhere Scandanavian, as in Old Norse' `klippa` (to clip/shear). Are those still homographs? I think a fair number of the list items are the result of convergent evolution.
- thaumasiotes 7y agoHomographs are words that are written identically. I don't understand what you're trying to ask - the etymology of a word is not at all relevant to how it's spelled.
- empath75 7y agoit's relevant to whether it's a homograph
- thaumasiotes 7y agoNo, it isn't. The spelling, and only the spelling, determines whether it's a homograph, because that's what "homograph" means. Etymology is relevant to whether two words are cognates.
- empath75 7y agoIf the multiple meanings are merely variations on the same etymology, it’s not a homograph, it’s just a word with multiple meanings.
- oxxrs 7y agoIt's a heteronym, see[1]. And etymologically they seem to be related, the sense "quit" dating back to the 14th century while the sense "sign again" a more recent addition, 19th century [2] [1] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/heteronym https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/heteronym [2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resign https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resign
- rdiddly 7y agoWhile we're at it, literally doesn't belong on it. Literally has exactly one meaning. Unsurprisingly, the wrong meaning is the opposite of the right one. Still think this list would help every struggling learner of English.
- adrianmonk 7y agoUnfortunately, "literally" has acquired the non-literal meaning because people use it as an intensifier: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-lite... Include me among those who find it frustrating, but the meanings of words are more or less acquired by convention, and I think my side has been outvoted on this one.
- marzell 7y agoI remember trying to explain this to a friend once, but was having a 'senior moment' and couldn't remember the word 'figuratively' to explain what 'literally' should have been in the context. Now it is used as an intensifier, but it seems to be 'sarcastic' when used in that way... there's some understanding that exaggeration is being used, and that the use of the word 'literal' isn't entirely correct.
- adrianmonk 7y agoIt might be more precise to call it hyperbole than sarcasm. But either is pretty reasonable. Both are rhetorical devices that hinge on creating an effect by intentionally using a word differently than its normal, plain meaning. Incidentally, I think one reason people get irritated by this is that some people prefer communication to be direct, unambiguous, and straightforward without relying on a lot of subtlety, context, guessing, or interpretation. I'd bet that programmers and other technically-minded people lean this direction more. So when people complain that this sort of thing is a violation of the rules, I think on some level they know that's not true, so I'm inclined to interpret it more like a plea or protest to avoid this style of indirect communication.
- 7y ago
- lonelappde 7y agoPronunciation isn't part of writing, though. As you note, oral language and written language are not isomorphic.