Making sense of the same word
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 09, 2014 -

In learning or teaching English grammar, there is a set of words namely Homograph, Homonym and Homophone, which are always confusing even for the smartest of word geeks.

A homograph is a word that has the same spelling as another word but has a different sound and different meaning, for instance, ‘lead’ which could mean either to go in front of something or a metal; ‘wind’, which could either mean to follow a course that is not straight/direct or a gust of air.

On the other hand, a homophone is a word that has the same sound as another word but is spelled differently and has a different meaning, for instance to/two/too; there/their; pray/prey; add/ad; night/knight, etc.

It is said there are around 300 such homophone words in English language.

Even more confusing than homograph and homophone words are the Homonyms, which are words that are spelled and sound the same but have different meaning, such as the noun ‘bear’ and the verb ‘bear’.

Well, we are not here today to discuss the grammatical correctness of speaking or writing English language, but we are just trying to drive home the point how, even in our day to day life and State politics, the same word could give or invoke different meaning as well as importance when it is spoken by different people, more particularly, someone in power and position.

The surprise and shock expressed by Governor VK Duggal when he found out that no steps have been taken up by the State administration for proper maintenance and utilisation of the vacant upper floors at the three women market sheds of Khwairamband Bazar during his maiden visit to the historic market on Wednesday and the outburst of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh against officials of Forest Department over their objection to the resettlement plan for displaced people of Lei-Ingkhol in reserved forest area, sound to us nothing more than mere variation of either the same Homograph, Homophone or Homonym word that the public have been crying their hearts out all these years.

The grievances of the women vendors over lack of proper maintenance at the world-fame all women market in the heart of the Imphal city after its inauguration as a sparklingly new concrete structure in November 2010 and the long pending demand of the harassed women vendors on the road sides for providing the vacant spaces on the upper floor of the three markets to them has now become a serious issue that would not be able to be neglected by the State administration after the shock conveyed by the Governor.

Similarly, unchecked felling of trees and encroachment in reserved forest areas, which has long been a serious concern that the people have been trying to draw the attention of the concerned Department, would now have an altogether different meaning after the stamp of incompetency put on officials of Forest Department by none other than the Chief Minister himself.

This is how the meaning and importance of a word spoken by a common man could change so differently and without any confusion when the same word happens to come out from the mouth of someone in power and position, regardless of Homograph, Homonym or Homophone.