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Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs and Heteronyms

By DrMurthy

There is some confusion and controversy around the definition of homonyms, homophones, homographs and heteronyms. In this article we will explore the difference between those terms.
Homonym comes from the Greek homo which means “same” and onym which means “name.” When we talk about words, however, what should we use to define their names? The spelling or the pronunciation? Probably both. Homonyms, therefore, can be defined as two or more words that share the same spelling, or the same pronunciation, or both, but have different meanings.
Since there are several “types” of homonyms (e.g., same spelling but different pronunciation, same pronunciation but different spelling, same spelling and same pronunciation), further categorization is needed. We can say that homonyms represent the big category, from which 3 sub-categories emerge:
Homophones: two or more words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings. They may or may not be spelled on the same way.
Examples: write and right, desert (to abandon) and desert (a thing deserved)
Homographs: homonyms that share the same spelling. They may or may not have the same pronunciation.
Examples: present (a gift) and present (to introduce), row (argument) and row (propel with oars)
Heteronyms: those are homonyms that share the same spelling but have different pronunciations. That is, they are homographs which are not homophones.
Example: desert (to abandon) and desert (arid region)

Article

The 3 articles in English are a, an and the. The learner has to decide noun-by-noun which one of the articles to use*. In fact, there are 4 choices to make, because sometimes no article is necessary. Native-speakers, of course, use the articles correctly without thinking. English learners, on the other hand, need to have some guidelines for making the right choice - particularly those learners whose own language does not have articles, such as Japanese or Korean. The guidelines that follow here should help ESL students to a basic understanding of English article use.
The most important first step in choosing the correct article is to categorize the noun as count or uncount**:
- A count noun is a noun that can have a number in front of it: 1 teacher, 3 books, 76 trombones, 1,000,000 people.
- An uncount noun is a noun that cannot have a number put in front of it: 1 water, 2 lucks, 10 airs, 21 oils, 39 informations. Once you have correctly categorized the noun (using your dictionary if necessary), the following "rules" apply:
Uncount nouns

• You cannot say a/an with an uncount noun.
• You cannot put a number in front of an uncount noun. (You cannot make an uncount noun plural.)
• You use an uncount noun with no article if you mean that thing in general.
• You use the with an uncount noun when you are talking about a particular example of that thing.

Count nouns

• You can put a number in front of a count noun. (You can make a count noun plural.)
• You can put both a/an and the in front of a count noun.
• You must put an article** in front of a singular count noun.
• You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.
• You usually use a/an with a count noun the first time you say or write that noun.
• You use the with count nouns:
  • the second and subsequent times you use the noun in a piece of speech or writing
  • when the listener knows what you are referring to (maybe because there is only one of that thing)
• You use an (not a) when the next word (adverb, adjective, noun) starts with a vowel sound.

Note:

• The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in front of the noun.
• Some nouns can be either count or uncount, depending on the context and meaning:
• Do you have paper? I want to draw a picture. (uncount = a sheet of paper)
• Can you get me a paper when you’re at the shop? (count = a newspaper)
• Uncount nouns are often preceded by phrases such as: a lot of .. (luck), a piece of .. (cake), a bottle of .. (milk), a grain of .. (rice).
* Instead of an article, the noun can also be preceded by a determiner such as this, that, some, many or my, his, our, etc.

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Following are some of the most important guidelines listed above, with example sentences:

1. You use an uncount noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.	I need help! I don't eat cheese. Do you like music?
2. You use the with an uncount noun when you are talking about a particular example of that thing.	Thanks for the help you gave me yesterday. I didn't eat the cheese. It was green! Did you like the music they played at the dance?
3. You usually use a/an with a count noun the first time you say or write that noun.	Can I borrow a pencil, please? There's a cat in the garden! Do you have an mp3 player?
4. You use the with count nouns the second and subsequent times you use the noun, or when the listener already knows what you are referring to (maybe because there is only one of that thing).	Where's the pencil I lent you yesterday? I think the cat belongs to the new neighbours. I dropped the mp3 player and it broke. Please shut the door!
5. You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.	I don't like dogs. Do they have children? I don't need questions. Give me answers!
6. The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in front of the noun.   . Group 1 Abhor hate Bigot narrow-minded, prejudiced person Counterfeit fake; false Enfranchise give voting rights Hamper hinder; obstruct Kindle to start a fire Noxious harmful; poisonous; lethal Placid calm; peaceful Remuneration payment for work done Talisman lucky charm Group 2 Abrasive rough; coarse; harsh Bilk cheat; defraud Covert hidden; undercover Engender cause Hangar storage area (like garage) for a plane Knotty complex; difficult to solve Nuance something subtle; a fine shade of meaning Plagiarism taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas Renown fame Tangent going off the main subject Group 3 Abasement humiliation; degradation Billowing swelling; fluttering; waving Cower recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from Enhance improve; make better or clearer Harangue noisy, attacking speech Labyrinth a maze Nullify to counter; make unimportant Plaintiff petitioner (in court of law) Replete full Tangible can be touched Group 4 Abrogate cancel; deny; repeal Blasphemy speech which offends religious sentiments Credible believable Enigma puzzle; mystery Harbingers indicators; bringers of warnings Labyrinthine complicated; highly convoluted Nuzzle cuddle; snuggle Plaudit statement giving strong praise Reprehensible shameful; very bad Tardy slow; late; overdue; delayed Group 5 Absolution forgiveness; pardon; release Blatant obvious Creditable praiseworthy Ensconce establish firmly in a position Hasten hurry; accelerate; rush Laceration a cut Obdurate stubborn Plausible can be believed; reasonable Reprieve a respite; postponement of a sentence Tawdry of little value; gaudy Back to top Group 6 Abstain desist; go without; withdraw Blighted damaged; destroyed; ruined Credulous gullible; ready to believe anything Enshroud cover Haughtiness arrogance; pride Lachrymose tearful; sad Obfuscate deliberately make something difficult to understand Plethora an excess Repudiate shun; eschew Tedium boredom Group 7 Abstemious self denying; refraining from indulging Blithe free-spirited; carefree Crepuscular active at dawn and dusk Enunciation clear pronunciation; accent; articulation Headstrong stubborn; willful Lackluster dull; monotonous; bland Objective unbiased; not subjective Pliable flexible; not stubborn Rescind retract; repeal Temper to moderate; soften Group 8 Abstruse difficult to understand; obscure Blunderbuss 1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person Cringe recoil; flinch; shy away Envenom to cause bitterness and bad feeling Hedonism self indulgence; pleasure-seeking Laconic using few words; brief; to the point Oblique indirect; slanting Plumage feathers of a bird Resignation acceptance of fate Tenacious stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose Group 9 Accolade tribute; honor; praise Bolster support; prop up Cryptic puzzling; enigmatic Ephemeral short-lived Hedonist a pleasure seeker Lamentation expression of regret or sorrow Obliterate destroy; demolish; eradicate Plummet fall suddenly and steeply Resolution determination Tentative not certain Group 10 Acquiesce to agree to; give in to Bombast arrogant, pompous language Curtail cut short Epicure someone who appreciates good food and drink Heed listen to Lampoon ridicule; spoof Oblivious totally unaware Podium raised platform Resonant echoing Tenuous flimsy; not solid   Group 1 Acrid sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes) Boorish ill-mannered Cynical believing that people act only out of selfish motives Epistle a letter (form of communication) Heresy against orthodox opinion Lance spear; spike; javelin Obscure difficult to understand; partially hidden Poignant deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions Respite a break; intermission Terse concise; to the point Group 2 Acrophobia fear of heights Bourgeois middle class Debility weakness; incapacity Epistolary concerned with letters; through correspondence Hiatus interruption; pause Languid tired; slow Obscured hidden; covered; buried Poised calm; collected; self-possessed Resplendent shining; glowing Therapeutic medicinal; curative Group 3 Acuity sharpness (mental or visual) Braggart someone who boasts Debunking exposing false claims or myths Epitomized typified; characterized; personified Hidebound rigid in opinions Languish decay; fade away; get weaker Obsequious servile; submissive Polemical causing debate or argument Restorative a tonic Thwart prevent; frustrate Group 4 Adamant forceful; inflexible Brawny muscular Decathlon an athletic competition with ten events Equivocate speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth Hieroglyphics 1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic Larceny theft; robbery; stealing Obsession a dominating concern Ponderous weighty; slow and heavy Retention preservation; withholding Timorous cowardly; fearful Group 5 Adroit skilful / skillful Brevity being brief Decorum dignified, correct behavior [decorous (a)] Err make a mistake Hinder obstruct Largess generosity Obsolete no longer valid Pontificate speak pompously or dogmatically Reticent restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative Tirade stream of verbal abuse Back to top Group 6 Adulation strong admiration; worship Bristle to show irritation Decoy lure; trap; trick Erratic wandering; irregular Histrionic theatrical; exaggerated Laud praise Obstreperous noisy and boisterous Portend foretell Retraction withdrawal; cancellation of a statement Titter giggle quietly Group 7 Adversity hardship Broach start to discuss; approach Deference respect Esoteric obscure and difficult to understand Hoary old Lavish on a grand scale; wasteful Obtuse mentally dull Portent a warning sign; omen Revere worship Tome large book Back to top Group 8 Advocate support Brusque blunt; abrupt Defoliate cause leaves to fall off Espouse promote; take up; support Hone sharpen; increase; whet Lax careless; not strict Obviate avoid; make unnecessary Poseur someone who puts on an act Riddled full of (usually full of holes) Torpid inactive; lazy; stagnant Group 9 Aesthetic concerning art or beauty Bulwark fortification; barricade; wall Defunct no longer in existence Etymology the study of word origins Hyperbole grossly exaggerated speech Legend 1. key to map; 2. myth or story Odious hateful Posterity future generations Rife common Torpor dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity Group 10 Affable friendly; social; easygoing Bureaucracy officialdom Degradation deprivation; poverty; debasement Eulogy praise Hypochondriac a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses Legion in large numbers Officious domineering; intrusive; meddlesome Posthumous after death Rigor thoroughness Totter walk unsteadily	I don't eat German cheese. Can I borrow a red pencil, please? There's an extremely large cat in the garden! I don't like small, noisy children.