Talk:Heteronym (linguistics)

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I just that a thought that there are a few more "root" words, but I'm not sure if they should be in there, because they might or might not be be Australian colloquialisms... "Root" as in cheer/support - "I root for the other team" and "Root" as in quick fornication - "She and I had a root in the back of the car"............ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.240.198.196 (talk) 21:45, 1 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Possible table[edit]

I'm thinking of moving these words into a table to make them more clearly readable:

Heteronyms
Spelling Word A Word B
Pronunciation Part of speech Meaning Pronunciation Part of Speech Meaning
axes /ˈæksiːz/ noun pl. of axis /ˈæksɪz/ noun pl. of axe
bass /beɪs/ noun low in pitch /bæs/ noun a fish
buffet /bəˈfeɪ/ noun type of meal /ˈbʌfɪt/ verb to strike
close /kloʊz/ verb to obstruct /kloʊs/ adjective nearby
conduct /ˈkɒndəkt/ noun action /kənˈdʌkt/ verb to lead
content /ˈkɒntɪnt/ noun information /kənˈtɛnt/ adjective satisfied
convict /kənˈvɪkt/ verb to find guilty /ˈkɑːnvɪkt/ noun a criminal
does /doʊz/ noun pl. of doe /dʌz/ verb form of do
dove /dʌv/ noun a bird /doʊv/ verb past tense of dive
entrance /ˈɛntrəns/ noun doorway /ɛnˈtræns/ verb to delight
invalid /ɪnˈvælɪd/ adjective incorrect /ˈɪnvəlɪd/ noun a disabled person
live /lɪv/ verb to be alive /laɪv/ adjective having life
minute /maɪˈnuːt/ adjective small /ˈmɪnət/ noun unit of time
object /ˈɑːbdʒɪkt/ noun a thing /əbˈdʒɛkt/ verb to protest
polish /ˈpɑːlɪʃ/ verb to shine /ˈpoʊlɪʃ/ adjective relating to Poland
produce /prəˈduːs/ verb to make /ˈproʊduːs/ noun fruit and vegetables
project /ˈprɒdʒɛkt/ noun an undertaking /prəˈdʒɛkt/ verb to cast an image
read /riːd/ verb present tense /rɛd/ verb past tense
rebel /rəˈbɛl/ verb to resist /ˈrɛbəl/ noun one who rebels
record /ˈrɛkərd/ noun physical information /rəˈkɔːrd/ verb to make a record
row /roʊ/ verb to paddle a boat /raʊ/ noun an argument
sewer /ˈsuːər/ noun drainage pipes /ˈsoʊər/ noun one who sews
sow /soʊ/ verb to plant seeds /saʊ/ noun a female pig
subject /ˈsʌbdʒɛkt/ noun a topic /səbˈdʒɛkt/ verb to cause to undergo
tear /tɪər/ noun liquid produced by crying /tær/ verb to separate
wind /wɪnd/ noun air movement /waɪnd/ verb to tighten a spring
wound /waʊnd/ verb past tense of wind /wuːnd/ noun an injury


"Bow" I cannot easily fit into the table, because of the two pronunciations with myriad meanings. --Xyzzyva 07:01, 14 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

"Row" has three - it can also be a line. (Slartibartfast203.39.81.12 (talk) 05:25, 4 October 2011 (UTC))[reply]

This table format will not work because some words have more than two variants in their pronunciation, for example: slough. (See "Missing Words" section below.) — Rossbundy (talk) 15:51, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Also, there are other interesting facts (such as syllable stress changes) which might be useful in the table. For some examples, see the sites below.

  • "fun-with-words.com". Retrieved 2021-02-28. — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Jon & Sandra's Heteronym Page". Retrieved 2021-02-28. — Rossbundy (talk) 21:59, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hyphenation shift[edit]

It would useful to include information about words that shift hyphenation such as pro-ject/proj-ect. The Liang thesis also lists a-rith-met-ic/ar-ith-met-ic, eve-ning/even-ing, pro-gress/prog-ress, tri-bune/trib-une. — MaxEnt 05:13, 29 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Languages other than English[edit]

Are there any examples? I have note been able to find any, but that may be more to do with search engines.

If there are none, a statement to that effect would be useful!

Norman Paterson 121.79.233.250 (talk) 03:06, 24 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

In French I can only remember est (is, east) being a heteronym. Bringing up kanji should be an interesting idea as well. Hill Crest's WikiLaser! (BOOM!) 17:54, 6 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]
There are many in French; I've added some. --Macrakis (talk) 17:56, 11 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Missing Words[edit]

  • bear (v) to carry
  • bear (n) a large mammal

Shawn H Corey (talk) 00:18, 12 September 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Those are homonyms, but not heteronyms, because they're pronounced the same. --Macrakis (talk) 17:57, 11 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
  • arithmetic (n), əˈriTHməˌtik : branch of mathematics dealing with numbers
  • arithmetic (a), eriTHˈmedik  : relating to arithmetic

"Use arithmetic to evaluate arithmetic functions" 184.41.212.10 (talk) 15:44, 28 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

  • contest — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • convert — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • duplicate — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • drawer — (n) (UK)/dɹɔː(ɹ)/, (US)/dɹɔɹ/ a sliding box or receptacle opened by pulling out and closed by pushing in — (n) (UK)/ˈdɹɔː.ə(ɹ)/, (US)/ˈdɹɔ.ɚ/ one who draws — Rossbundy (talk) 16:08, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • graduate — (n) /ˈɡrædʒuət/ a holder of an academic degree or diploma — (v) /ˈɡrædʒueɪt/ to receive an academic degree or diploma — The pronunciations are missing from wiktionary, altough they appear in other dictionaries such as "Merriam-Webster". Retrieved 2021-02-28. — Rossbundy (talk) 15:59, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • insult — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • permit — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • pussy — (n) /ˈpʊsɪ/ a cat — (adj) /ˈpʌsɪ/ full of or resembling pus — The latter definition is missing from wiktionary, although the spelling appears under pus. The latter definition appears in other dictionaries such as "Merriam-Webster". Retrieved 2021-02-28. — Recommendation originally added by an IP user 121.79.233.250, 03:06, 24 December 2014‎ (UTC) — Moved to "Missing Words" section by Ross Bundy (talk) 15:07, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
  • slough — (n) /slʌf/ the skin shed by a snake or other reptile — (n) /sluː/ a muddy or marshy area — (n) /slaʊ/ a state of moral degradation or spiritual dejection; also Slough (geographical name) town in Berkshire, southeast central England, west of London — Some definitions are missing from wiktionary, although they appear in other sources such as "Merriam-Webster". Retrieved 2021-02-28. — Rossbundy (talk) 15:51, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]
    Great work, Ross, please add all these to the table in the article. 2001:9E8:4637:1000:4455:968F:EA4A:C564 (talk) 22:07, 31 December 2023 (UTC)[reply]
  • transplant — Rossbundy (talk) 20:01, 28 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

There are several words listed at the following websites which are not listed in the Wikipedia article.

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