A homophone, homonym, homograph what??

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Have you ever wondered why the English language is the way it is? With words that are looking similar but mean absolutely nothing alike, or when two distinctly different words have the same meaning. Or even better when you have one specific word and it means many different things. How about when the words are spelled differently but are pronounced the same? Take read for example: is it read - as in you read it - past tense; or as in - I will read it - present tense, with a hard ‘e.’ What about reed, the plant. It sounds the same as read.

My sympathies and props go out to all of the brave individuals that want to learn and are in the crux of learning this beautiful, yet extremely difficult and confusing language. I do try to help my friends with any of their questions in regards to the English language and do it to the best of my ability. Some ask me, “why?” I wish I knew the answer or go and talk to the individuals that selected that phrase or word and ask them, “WHY?!” If the power laid in the hands of myself then it would be different. Or at least that is what I like to think, to not make it so difficult on those that are trying to broaden their horizons.

Ahh, that is another one: their - there - they’re! And again: one - won. Now, my brain is really working and seeing a good amount of something that is called a homonym. Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different meanings and often different spellings. But don’t worry there are different types of homophones -which is something that encompasses all of these homonyms, homographs, heterographs, and heteronyms. Oui, my head hurts already and my native language is English. These are all different classifications: Homograph - words that are spelled exactly the same way, they could be pronounced differently or the same and they have different meanings. Example: bow. Did you read that as in “taking a bow,” or a thing you shoot an arrow out from? Some more examples: right - as in “take a right,” or “that is right” - as in correct. Tear - “tear the paper” or “there is a tear in my eye.”

Heterograph - words that are spelled different but sound the same. Example: sun - son.

Heteronyms - words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when they are pronounced differently. Examples: Lead. Did you read that as in “I will lead you” or “That is a pile of lead?” - Desert. Were you thinking of someone leaving you or a barren area of land?

How can something so minute as a slight change in pronunciation make an extreme difference when trying to communicate. In the past, when learning a new language, I would find myself getting tripped up over the words that are in the homophone section of the English language. And I am deriving from the English language, which itself was derived from many different languages, such as the Anglo- Saxon - “Old English,” and Anglo-Norman (which is a type of French).

With all this new information about some linguist talk, my brain and head feel as if I am a bobble-head; having the homophones ricocheting about as my eyes bounce off of different web pages and dictionary and linguist books. Would it be cop out if I wish for some semantic satiation to take hold so then I may move on to something else for now. Just to take a break. If only.

To those who keep fighting to learn on, I commend you and you have my support. Good luck and you got this!