Not only homophones, sometimes homonyms also confuse transcribers. Homonyms have similar spelling and pronunciations but different meanings. This is especially true of legal and real estate/building related words and phrases. Common words we use generally are used in very different context and meanings.
Other related concepts of homonyms are as below:
Homographs (literally "same writing") are usually defined as words that share the same spelling, regardless of how they are pronounced. For example, bark (the sound of a dog) and bark (the skin of a tree). If they are pronounced differently then they are also heteronyms – for example, bow (the front of a ship) and bow (a type of knot).
Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled. If they are spelled the same then they are also homographs (and homonyms); if they are spelled differently then they are also heterographs (literally "different writing"). Homographic examples include rose (flower) and rose (past tense of rise). Heterographic examples include to, too, two, and there, their, they’re.
Heteronyms (literally "different name") are the subset of homographs (words that share the same spelling) that have different pronunciations (and meanings). That is, they are homographs which are not homophones. Such words include desert (to abandon) and desert (arid region); row (to argue or an argument) and row (as in to row a boat or a row of seats - a pair of homophones). Heteronyms are also sometimes called heterophones (literally "different sound").
Polysemes are words with the same spelling and distinct but related meanings. The distinction between polysemy and homonymy is often subtle and subjective, and not all sources consider polysemous words to be homonyms. Words such as mouth, meaning either the orifice on one's face, or the opening of a cave or river, are polysemous and may or may not be considered homonyms.
Capitonyms are words that share the same spelling but have different meanings when capitalized (and may or may not have different pronunciations). Such words include polish (to make shiny) and Polish (from Poland); march (organized, uniformed, steady and rhythmic walking forward) and March (the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar).
Here below is a list of commonly confused words starting with the letters W and Y, their meanings and usages.
Ware vs wear vs Where
Wear – impairment running from long use, covering designed to be worn on a person's
body
Ex: The girl wearing a jacket is my daughter.
Ware – articles of the same kind of material; usually used in combination: silverware,
software.
Ex: The nobleman’s wife showed off her exquisite crockery ware.
Where – what place or position
Ex: Where is the telephone?
Where did you get this idea?
She moved to the city, where jobs are available.
Weather vs whether
Weather – climate or endure or erode.
Ex: He has weathered many storms in his long career.
Whether – conjunction; it introduces two alternatives
Ex: Do you know whether he is coming?
You'll do it whether you like it or not
Whether you win or lose, you'll have done your best
The Bottom Line : Just remember that whether is more or less interchangeable with "if," while weather
indicates the temperature and atmospheric conditions.
Whither vs wither
Whither – To what place, result, or condition.
Ex: Whither are we wandering?
The crew landed on the shores whither the storm had tossed them.
Whither thou goest, I will go.
Wither – To dry up, to lose freshness; droop.
Ex: : The teacher withered the noisy student with a glance.
The leaves had withered but not fallen.
Wreak vs Wreck
Wreak – To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person.
Ex: The storm wreaked havoc along the coast.
Wreck – To cause the destruction, something shattered or dilapidated
Ex: Captain Phips sailed from England endeavoring to find the wreck of the Spanish
ship.
Waste vs Waist
Waste – To use, consume, spend carelessly; exhaust, enfeeble
Ex: Disease wasted his body.
Do no waste a very good opportunity.
He collected the waste in a small bin.
Waist – The part of the human trunk between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis.
Ex: She has a waist which defies tight-lacing, and she dances joyously on large flat feet.
Witch vs Which
Witch – woman claiming or believed to possess magical powers
Ex: We are so grateful to you for having killed the wicked witch, and for setting our
people free from bondage.
Which – what particular one or ones
Ex: Which of these is yours?
The guests came to my house, which is small and old.
Weak vs Week
Weak – feeble
Ex: Chris was born with a weak heart.
He was a bit weak in maths.
Week – seven days
Ex: This week it is time for a comedy movie screening.
Who’s vs Whose
Who's – Who's is a contraction of who is or, less commonly, who has.
Ex: Who's watching TV?
Do you know who's going to speak?
Whose – Whose is the possessive of who or, somewhat controversially, which.
Ex : Whose book is this?
Do you know whose car this is?
If you can replace the word with who is or who has, use who's. If not, use whose.
Your vs You’re
Your – Of or belonging to you:
Ex: Please invite me to your party.
The light switch is on your right.
You’re – Informal contraction of "you are"
Ex: You're smart! Smart, I say.
If you liked this article, please share it on Facebook, StumbleUpon or Twitter. I’d appreciate it. :)
I mixed up 'desert' and 'dessert' the other day in a transcript -- and I know the difference between the two! I hate when I make this type of boo-boo. These were great tips, Carey.
ReplyDeleteHi Patty, yes sometimes due to work pressure or sheer confusion I do tend to mix up words that you would normaly NOT confuse....it comes with the territory...but we should take every measure possible to minimize such mistakes...
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to read and comment here, Patty. Really appreciate it.