A visual exploration of words that look the same, sound the same, or are otherwise easily confused. Updated weakly through 2016, now only occasionally. The book version "Homophones Visualized" is available wherever books are sold. Thanks for checking in!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Rose & Rows
This week a pair of homophones, both of which are also pairs of homonyms. So for each word we have two separate definitions.
Rose –
(n.) the flower which by any other name, I've read somewhere would smell the same.
(v.) past tense of rise.
Rows –
(n.) plural form of row: objects arranged more or less in a straight line.
(v.) third person singular present tense (or something like that) of row: to propel a boat with an oar.
PS, Please no horticulturalists nitpicking the rose plants, OK?
Rose –
(n.) the flower which by any other name, I've read somewhere would smell the same.
(v.) past tense of rise.
Rows –
(n.) plural form of row: objects arranged more or less in a straight line.
(v.) third person singular present tense (or something like that) of row: to propel a boat with an oar.
PS, Please no horticulturalists nitpicking the rose plants, OK?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Beat & Beet
Friday, November 11, 2011
fan male & to air is human
I recently received this email that just totally made my day. The sender said it was OK to share it with you:
I just wanted to tell you that I very much appreciate your homophones weakly blog. I discovered it while I was looking for decorations for a birthday party. I work with an elderly woman and every year for her birthday we have a homophone bee (although, to be fair, she calls them homonyms. I can't blame her, I think that is what they taught in schools in the 20s and 30s). This year was her 90th birthday and I made prints of your pictures for her and her great grandchildren. English is the children's second language and they are too young to read, so the images really helped. I have never met a person more interested in homophones than this lady. Thank you for blogging something of interest to us.
I just wanted to tell you that I very much appreciate your homophones weakly blog. I discovered it while I was looking for decorations for a birthday party. I work with an elderly woman and every year for her birthday we have a homophone bee (although, to be fair, she calls them homonyms. I can't blame her, I think that is what they taught in schools in the 20s and 30s). This year was her 90th birthday and I made prints of your pictures for her and her great grandchildren. English is the children's second language and they are too young to read, so the images really helped. I have never met a person more interested in homophones than this lady. Thank you for blogging something of interest to us.
And then they went through and highlighted all the words that have homophones – that's dedication! :)
Anyway, I just want to thank everyone for reading this blog every week. It's fun for me, so it's nice to hear that you like it too.
But at the same time, I'm embarrassed to announce that I made a mistake a few months back with Road & Rode. Somehow I left out Rowed. (Seems like every time that pesky biker shows up, he needs three panels.) So here is the corrected image. Not much different, really. But I'm sure we'll all sleep a little bit better tonight now, won't we?
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Lightening & Lightning
WITH an e – becoming lighter.
WithOUT an e – that stuff that shoots out of the clouds and seems to have a grudge against trees.
WithOUT an e – that stuff that shoots out of the clouds and seems to have a grudge against trees.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Real eyes
Here's a bit of homophonic graffiti a friend pointed out to me recently. A cool message, even if it is also a heavy metal song.
It's making the rounds online, and I'd cite the source if I had all day to track it down. So at least here's a URL that won't take you to a page full of user comments:
http://i.imgur.com/5UiGb.jpg
It's making the rounds online, and I'd cite the source if I had all day to track it down. So at least here's a URL that won't take you to a page full of user comments:
http://i.imgur.com/5UiGb.jpg
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