[Lexicog] Heteronyms in English

[Dr. Hayim Y. Sheynin]

In the Semitic languages there are a lot of such heteronyms and their
existence is assured by both the structure of the language and by the
peculiarity of writing system.
E.g. the words sefer 'book', safar (he has counted) sipper (he has told,
narrated, retold) in Hebrew are written identically. The interlocutors
or the readers understand the meaning in the context. 
 
Similarly in Arabic farasa (he has killed), faras (horse);
                        amr (order, command), immar (simple-minded,
stupid) 
                        mathala (he has resembled, looked like), mathal
(likeness); mithl (similar),
            mithla (prep. Similar to; like; just as) are written in
Arabic letters absolutely idetically.
 
In Russian and other Slavic languages there are many words which differ
only by the place of stress. So in the speech they are easy
distinguished, but in writing they are identical,
e.g. muka (with the stress on the last syllable, 'flour'), while with
the stress on the first syllable ('pain, torture, suffering');
 
zamok (with the stress on the last syllable, 'lock'), while with the
stress on the first syllable 'castle');           
 
polka ('shelf, Nominative case, stress on the first syllable)
polka ('of the regiment', Gen. and Acc. Cases, stress on the last
syllable)
 
steny ('walls' Nom. Pl., stress on the first syllable); steny (of the
wall, Gen. Sg., stress on the last syllable). This type of heteronym is
the most frequent in Russian (another example tela (bodies, corpses,
Nom. Pl.  - the stress on the last syllable), while tela (of the body,
Gen. Sg.)
 
Best wishes,
Hayim
 
============
Dr. Hayim Y. Sheynin
Adjunct Professor of Jewish Literature
Gratz College
7605 Old York Rd.
Melrose Park, PA 19027
 
Tel.: 215 635-7300 x 161
Fax: 215 635-7320
email: hsheynin at gratz.edu
 
________________________________

From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Fritz Goerling
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 2:46 PM
To: lexicographylist yahoogroups
Subject: [Lexicog] Heteronyms in English
 
We discussed homonyms in English on this list a while ago.
English has quite a number of heteronyms, too.
Here are the first two stanzas from a "Hymn to
Heteronyms:"
Please go through the entrance of this little poem.
I guarantee it will entrance you.
The content will certainly make you content,
and the knowledge gained sure will enhance you.
A boy moped around when his parents refused
For him a new moped to buy.
The incense he burned did incense him to go
On a tear with a tear in his eye.
To what extent does this phenomenon exist in other languages?
Fritz Goerling
 
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