1. Similar in Sound: These words sound very similar, but have different meanings and spellings.
2. Not True Homonyms: They are not true homonyms because their spellings are different enough to distinguish them.
Examples:
* "write" and "right": These words sound almost identical, but have different meanings and spellings.
* "to" and "too": These words sound the same, but have different spellings and meanings.
* "bear" (animal) and "bare" (uncovered): These words are pronounced similarly, but have different spellings and meanings.
Distinguishing Near-Homonyms from Homonyms:
* Homonyms: Words that sound the same and have the same spelling but different meanings. (Example: "bat" - the animal and "bat" - the piece of sporting equipment)
* Near-Homonyms: Words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings.
Why the Term Isn't Widely Used:
The term "near-homonym" is not commonly used in linguistics because it's a less specific term than "homophone". Homophones are a well-defined category, while "near-homonyms" would encompass a wider range of words with varying degrees of similarity in sound.
In summary, "near-homonym" likely refers to words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings, and are not true homonyms. However, the term is not widely used in linguistics.