Homophones and Homographs: An American Dictionary (4th Edition) PDF download
This fourth edition represents a 24-year work-in-progress that originated with a 7-year-old youngster bringing home in the spring of 1982 his class assignment to generate the most homophones possible, like rain, reign, rein, within a week.
The short-term downer was that his second-place 279 words fell 77 short of the victor’s list.
The longer term benefit is that his effort jump-started the process that has resulted in 9040 homophones furnished below, plus a bonus of 2133 homographs (like tear, number, minute).
This compiler examined each of the 219 sources noted in the bibliography, and solved countless New York Times and Wall Street Journal crossword puzzles, to glean what comprises this volume.
Warranting special mention are two treasure houses of bona fide, or near-, homophones and homographs: John H. Bechtel’s 1904 compilation, and Russell H. Godard’s 1999 assemblage and idiosyncratic insights toward researching these phenomena. Probably in excess of four million entries have been reviewed since 1982. Still sources undoubtedly remain unexamined; and I keep pencil and note pad aside the bedstead to jot down thoughts to verify or discard come daybreak.
Although intended to be the most complete and accurate dictionary of this type currently available, I make no claim that it is “the last word.” Several homophone and homograph candidates have almost certainly been overlooked during the eyestrain and physical exertion required in examining 13-pound unabridged reference works and their thinner kin. My current best estimate of when this project in American English may approach closure is about 11,000 homophones and 3000 homographs. We shall see.
Plaudits and grateful acknowledgment are offered to several individuals who assisted in bringing these four editions to fruition during these 24 years. David C. Weisman, who brought home that second grade assignment, is now a well established neurologist and married with two splendid daughters. Melody, his mother, in addition to suggesting early on that homographs be included in this dictionary, kept safe work-in-process and manuscripts at critical junctures. Peg, my wife, furnished several homophones and homographs associated with her fibre-art creativity, such as couch, ruffer, sliver, sley, and weave. Her endurance and tolerance were frequently tested while her spouse’s nose was
Ensconced in one or more reference works. Her frequent remark: “The process resembled watching grass grow and flies flit.”
Among colleagues at Lehigh University who supplied helpful suggestions and valuable assistance were the late Frank S. Hook, professor emeritus of English, who was well known for his stimulating course entitled simply “Words”; the late David M. Greene, also professor emeritus of English; the late John A. Van Erde, professor emeritus of modern languages and literature; the late R. Allen Moran, associate professor of economics; Eli Schwartz, Charles W. MacFarlane professor emeritus of theoretical economics, and Robert J. Thornton, Charles W. MacFarlane professor of economics, both of whom enjoy backgrounds in etymology and classical languages; Max D. Snider, professor emeritus of marketing and associate dean emeritus of the college of business and economics; Marie-Sophie Armstrong and Mary A. Nichols, both associate professors of modern languages and literature; Herbert Rubenstein, professor emeritus of psycholinguistics; and Albert (Tommy) Wilansky, university distinguished professor emeritus of mathematics, who furnished several bona fide homophones and homographs, including brother (male sibling and soup maker) and mother (female parent and collector of moths) which make appearances in this edition.
Those also at Lehigh include William F. Finke and Pat Ward, who rendered detective assistance over these many years in securing numerous references and hard-to-obtain titles through interlibrary loan; Robert Kendi, Beverly Paul, Judith Moran, Sharon Ruff, Janice Schaeffer, Rene Hollinger, and Diane Oechsle, each of whom provided patient aid and comfort at crucial points in manipulating computer programs, word-processing technicalities, and locating several rich repositories of literature relevant to this endeavor.
Elsewhere in the world are contributors to this labor of love: John D. Hitchcock of Laramie, Wyoming; Felicia Lamport of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Sybil P. Parker at the McGraw-Hill Book Company; John L. Turner of Scotts Valley, California; Richard A. Schaphorst of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; Jule Shipman of Doylestown, Pennsylvania: and Doug Fink, a compiler of numerous homophones.
The late Russell H. Goddard of Corvallis, Oregon, made a unique contribution with his eagle-eye for detail, fantastic memory recall, and idiosyncratic approaches to the collection of homophones and homographs. Drs. William Davis of Newark, Delaware, and Bevan J. Clarke, professor of accountancy and management information systems at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, both evince insatiable and contagious curiosity in a variety of intellectual endeavors.
Finally, I extend thanks to each author and editor cited in the annotated bibliography that appears at the end of this dictionary.
Their contributions confirm the research adage: “We can rise higher only atop the shoulders of predecessors.”
And the offer still stands of awarding $1 for each bona fide homophone or homograph furnished to this compiler that does not appear in these pages.
Format:PDF
Size: 6,53 MB
Pages:377 p.
Date:2006
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Homophones and Homographs: An American Dictionary (4th Edition) PDF