Homophones and Homographs: An American Dictionary, 4th ed.

by James B. Hobbs (Compiler)

Overview

This expanded fourth edition defines and cross-references 9,040 homophones and 2,133 homographs (up from 7,870 and 1,554 in the 3rd ed.).

As the most comprehensive compilation of American homophones (words that sound alike) and homographs (look-alikes), this latest edition serves well where even the most modern spell-checkers and word processors fail--although rain, reign, and rein may be spelled correctly, the context in which these words may appropriately be used is not obvious to a computer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476603933
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	11/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	376
File size:	905 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late James B. Hobbs was professor emeritus at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania.
The late James B. Hobbs was professor emeritus at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface     

Overview of Homophones and Homographs     

Definitions     
The “Conflict of Homophones” Controversy     
Criteria for Including and Excluding Words     
Notational Devices and Phonetic Symbols     
Organization of the Dictionary     
Some Final Thoughts     

Homophones     

Homographs     

Appendix: Unusual Groupings     

Homophones     
Five or More One-Syllable Words     
Four or More Two-Syllable Words     
Three or More Three-Syllable Words     
All Four-, Five-, and Six-Syllable Words     
Homographs (three or more words)     
Homophones and Homographs (all words)     

Annotated Bibliography     

Editorial Reviews

Homophones and homographs are words that have different meanings: homophones sound alike but are spelled differently, and homographs are spelled the same but pronounced differently. A second-grade homework assignment to see who could generate the largest list of homophones ignited an interest that inspired the first edition of this dictionary (1986). This new edition follows the same plan as the first but includes 7,149 homophones and 1,469 homographs, almost twice as many as the earlier edition. Some additions reflect changes in society (e.g., "AIDS"), others represent increased awareness of other-than-Anglo cultures ("hombre", "khan"). A few entries were dropped; for example, words not considered sufficiently homophonous ("marry", "merry") Homophones and homographs are listed in separate alphabetical sections, with brief definitions and, in the case of homographs, phonetic respelling. Cross-references connect homophones when they do not come together alphabetically (e.g., "phew" and "few"). Words that are both homophones and homographs are underlined The basis for some entries and cross-references is hard to see. "Suite" is given as a homophone of "Sioux" and "sue". The entry "kamma" says "see "comma"," which makes sense, but when one looks under "comma" the note says "see "comedia"," which does not. Some bad page breaks separate related words. For example, "Swedish" and "sweetish" are on different pages The body of the work is preceded by an overview that includes a table showing the eight ways words can be related to each other as to sound, spelling, and meaning (e.g., homonyms, synonyms). An appendix lists unusual groupings; for example, all four-, five-, and six-syllable homophones. An extensive annotated bibliography serves both to document the sources of the book and to direct the reader to other information Libraries serving writers and students should consider this purchase, even if they own the 1986 edition, as the amount of material added is considerable.

Zom Zoms

Defines over 7,000 words that sound alike, and over 1,400 words that look alike. The homophones include near pairs like murrain/murrhine; the homographs include pronunciations. Greatly expanded from the 1982 first edition. Well cross referenced. Includes an annotated bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

a serious work of exemplary scholarship that stands alone in the field...recommended”—Booklist

From the Publisher