>> ZG·Lingua >  >> Theoretical Linguistics >> Morphology

What is the difference between homonyms and homographs?

Here's the breakdown of homonyms and homographs:

Homonyms

* Definition: Words that sound the same but have different meanings and often different spellings.

* Examples:

* "To," "too," and "two" all sound the same but have distinct meanings.

* "Hear" and "here" sound alike but refer to different things.

* "There," "their," and "they're" are homonyms with varying meanings and grammatical functions.

Homographs

* Definition: Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and may or may not sound alike.

* Examples:

* "Bow" can refer to a knot or a bending movement.

* "Bat" can be a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment.

* "Lead" can be a metal or a verb meaning to guide.

Key Differences

* Sound: Homonyms sound alike, while homographs may or may not sound alike.

* Spelling: Homonyms often have different spellings, while homographs always have the same spelling.

Think of it this way:

* Homonyms: "Sound-alikes"

* Homographs: "Spell-alikes"

Let me know if you'd like more examples or further explanation!

Copyright © www.zgghmh.com ZG·Lingua All rights reserved.