Belated Grammar Quickie: Homophones, the Faux Amis · 5:47pm Jan 21st, 2014
So, it's been a while! I apologize. I got a grammar request, though, so I'm going to do it! And nopony can stop me! The grammar! Will last! Forever!
Shown: somepony who clearly understands how long the grammar will last
There are words that sound the same in the English language, but are entirely different words with entirely different meanings. These are called Homophones. "Homo" meaning "same" and "Phone" meaning "sound". Below are some of the more common ones.
To, Too, Two
To has three uses and meanings. It can be an infinitive marker—the infinitive form of a verb is "to verb". It can be a preposition, referring to a direction or a location (interesting fact: the sentence defining that use uses "to" as a preposition—ain't grammar neat?). It can also be an adverb, referring to something being closed, or nearly closed.
Too is an intensifier, indicating that something is at a higher degree than is desirable, or that something stands as an addition.
Two is the number 2. Simple stuff.
There, Their, They're
There is an adverb that refers to a place or position. It is typically farther than "here", which is more immediate.
Their is the third-person plural possessive.
They're is a contraction of they and are. I have a blog about contractions you can find here. (I even briefly go over homophones there)
There are a lot of other homophones that are perhaps a bit more tricky. Like the differences between effect and affect, incite and insight, taught and taut. The list goes on.
My advice to writers is to look up the definition of words frequently. Homophone errors can happen to anyone. My good friend SpaceCommie actually pointed out in a previous blog post that I used principal instead of principle
. You just have to own up to your mistakes, fix them, and learn from them. Treat your failures not as flaws to be denied, but opportunities to grow. Bit of Comrade advice.
And that's all I have for you. As ever, if you have any requests for future grammar blogs, questions, or whathaveyou, feel free to put them in the comments.
Cheers,
-Comrade
Image unrelated
Now bare with me, eye think that I understand what your trying to say hear...
These are like, those words that sound like other words, and are a mite confusing when you use them day to day inn conversation. How's anyone supposed to tell the difference?! (Interrobang. Compliments two the chef)
Not to be confused with homo-phones, which are really nice phones, honest. It's a lifestyle choice.
Edit: lol, just realized grammar "quickie."
OH YOU!
Comrade, you're a real fart smella, you know that?
Hmm. That link looks awfully familiar. Good to see it getting more publicity, but I don't think I'll be adding this blog to my Helpful Tips. Bit redundant, wouldn't you say?
In any case, I thank you for continuing to fight the war against sloppy writing.
1743050
No, no, no, that's a Spoonerism!
All I'm going to say.
1743084
c'est quoi?
1743134
Here you go.
>Grammar quickie
>Grammar will last forever
Comrade, you're drunk, come to bed.
Also
Spike doge
wow
much bloom
very spread
such wut
wut
wow
So, when I request a blog about grammar, you make it the next day. But when you say you're going to make a blog about something, like commas, you make it never.
What the heck?
1745009
Maybe you should request one about commas, then
?
1745012
I shouldn't have to! You said, and I quote:
1745029
But I'm terrible at doing things for myself. If I let myself down, I'm okay with that. I can't let down the internet peoplez, though.
1745040
Okay, on behalf of all teh internetz people on da world. I humbly beseech you to . . . do something . . . that involves commas being used in the correct fashion.
1745054
Alright, alright. But this is a separate category of request from my user-page comments! Also, comma rules are going to take a lot more time to go over. When you posted the comment on my page, it literally only asked to go over to vs too. I decided to expand it to make it more worthwhile, and even then it was pretty short.