Homophones Hurt Your Writing

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: Ware, Wear, Weir and Where

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Welcome to this edition of Words For Thought. Like many of the previous blogs we are looking at homophones. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
As the Hyper-Speller at Word Refiner, I understand how important it is to have an error free manuscript. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer fits and difficulties. Because we sound words out in our mind, it is easy to write the wrong word. The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. The Hyper-Speller at Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these hidden errors and providing your document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve.  I find these invisible spelling errors in 95% of published books.

Now onto today’s episode, number seven in an ongoing series!

Three of these four words are in pretty common usage for people. One is used in the names of stores or places. The fourth word is quite limited in use, it has a very specific meaning. They have a common ancestry from Old English and Germanic roots. These words have been with us for a long time. I do not see that changing anytime in the near future.

Ware is a word that may not seem familiar at first glance. But it is widely used in different forms, it has three main definitions; so let’s look closer. Pottery ware can be bought at many places, it can be used to contain food or other items. There is also crystal ware, dinnerware, and others. This refers to things of a specific type or use. Items offered for sale are stored in a warehouse. These are noun forms.
We are often admonished to be on guard, be aware, or most commonly beware. It means we are to take care and observe what is happening, be careful. Especially when using free Wi-Fi, beware of doing any banking.
Ware has an archaic form also. The archaic form has the idea of being cognizant of your surroundings and events.

Wear is such a common word, we do not even give it a second thought, but it also has multiple definitions and used as noun and verb, depending on the context. Primarily a verb, having to do with clothing, personal decorations and styles. What are you going to wear to the party? We wear clothing, hats and tattoos. We wear or adopt certain hairstyles. He always wears a scowl, nobody ever sees him smile.
The secondary verb form refers to damage or destruction cause by rubbing or erosion of some type. Because the parking brake was left on while driving, there was considerable wear on the brake shoes. It can also be used in a positive sense. The front door mat is wearing well because everyone uses the back door.
Functioning as a noun, the things we have or will have on. Business Casual wear is necessary for this lecture and lunch.  I think that black suit will be great evening wear for the party.

Weir is the most unusual of these homonyms. It has a very limited and specific use. Dam or fence. It is a noun and refers to a low dam to control flowing water, or it is a style of fish trap in the water; it looks like a fence.

Where is an adverb. It refers to a position, perspective or point of view. It can be part of a question or a declaration, it is widely used and has been for a long time. Where would we be without adverbs? Where did he get that car? Where do you plan on getting the financing? This is where I live. Sit where I can see you both. Having met his family, I can see where he got his smarts.

There they are, four words with identical sounds, unrelated history and definitions.  If you choose the wrong word the reader will feel like they hit a spot of turbulence while flying in your book.  Do all in your power to preserve the flow of imagination you worked so hard to construct. Do not give your readers a reason to close your book. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to be certain your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more alerts about hazardous homophones search for  #HomophonesHurtYourWriting on twitter. Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I offer another service at a great value, see the “Review Your Book” tab.
quadruple homophones
Remember: Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference.

Homophones Hurt Your Writing Peak, Peek, Peke, and Pique

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Welcome to this edition of Homophones Hurt Your Writing. Like many of the previous blogs we are looking at homophones. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.

I understand how important it is to have an error-free manuscript. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer fits and hitches.  The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers.

Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these hidden errors and providing the document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve.

Now, onto today’s episode, number 6 in the series of Quadruple Homophones!

 

These four words present an interesting group. They are related by sound only, true homophones. Two are English and one has multiple meanings, one is Oriental, and one is French. They are all from the last half of the previous millennia, and two have been in use in the English language for less than 200 years.

Peak is a widely used word, it functions as a noun, verb and an adjective. It has a history going back several hundred years in the English language. It is also an archaic word with a rather startling twist, as we shall see later.  At the core, it means top or point, like a mountain or a graph. It also can refer to a person’s or group’s abilities or popularity. It has many synonyms such as summit, climax, acme, and zenith to name a few. It can refer to facial features such as a widow’s peak or the peak of a beard.

In the United Kingdom it can mean the stiff brim of a cap. It can also refer to an extension of a sail on a sailing vessel.

In one sense perhaps, peak is its own antonym, an opposite meaning in health. In the early 17th century it was part of a phrase “peak and pine” that meant to shrivel or waste away. We have William Shakespeare to thank for that. Perhaps, he was making a joke, and we are simply too removed in space, time and culture to appreciate it.

Peek has a similar multi-century history as part of the English language, as does the previous word. It is a slightly sneaky word, it means to take a quick or furtive look. We can peek around a tree, we can peek into someone’s background (the internet has made that easier than ever in a number of ways) and play peek-a-boo with a child. It is a singular word in usage and definition.

Peke is our word from the Orient, it is the youngest word of this group in the English language. It is an abbreviation of Pekingese, a small dog with long hair, short legs and a pushed in nose. This lapdog was introduced in the 1860’s to Europe from Pekin, China; now known as Beijing. It was a very popular dog with the aristocracy of both civilizations. It is common for Pekes to have difficulties with breathing.

Pique is one of many words that have dual citizenship in both the English and French language. It actually has a split personality because it can be pronounced two different ways, more on that later. Primarily, from the middle of the 16th century, it means to feel resentful or irritated because of a perceived insult. Some synonyms are petulance, indignation and vexation. It can also be a verb and means to stimulate or irritate, it can be either positive or negative.

The second pronunciation is not a homophone to the others: “peekay”. It is from the same time approximately as Pekingese, and it means a stiff fabric woven in a raised or ribbed pattern. The literal translation of the French is “backstitched”.

 

There they are, four words with identical sounds, an entangled history and rather unrelated definitions.  If you choose the wrong word the reader will feel like they hit a speed bump and might drive off your road.  Do all in your power to prevent that from happening.  Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow us on twitter: @wordrefiner  for more alerts about hazardous homonyms #HomophonesHurtYourWriting.

Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on wordrefiner.com 

I also have another exceptional value for book promotions on the Review Your Book tab of my website.

 

Words have meaning and spelling makes a difference

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: Tew, To, Too, & Two

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Like many of the previous blogs we are looking at homophones that in this case can also become typographical errors. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
I understand how important it is to have an error free manuscript. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer problems at one time or another. Because we sound words out in our mind, it is very easy to write the wrong word.
Let’s not forget typographical errors also, a slip of the finger on the keyboard can create a different word that may not be caught by a spell-checker. There are many groups of words that vary by only one letter, such as vary and very, or must, mist and most. Three of the words we are looking at today fit this criteria!
The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these hidden errors and providing your document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve.

Now, onto today’s episode number five in the series of quadruple homophones.

 

Tew is an archaic word from Middle English, it refers to a process of preparing leather by beating and kneading it. Making the leather softer and more supple.

To is a preposition, it can be used with nouns, pronouns, and verbs.  We go to the stadium to see the football game.  We forgot to bring our blanket, we were cold.

Too is an adverb. It refers to something done in excess of the norm, going beyond the standard or regulation. This word can be used in multiple ways also.  You ate too much ice cream.  I want some ice cream too.  The first example deals with the concept of excess, the second is like saying also.

Two is a number, it can serve as a noun or an adjective. While not often mixed up with to and too, it is subject to typographical errors, as they all are.  An easy way to remember for my numerically challenged friends is the letter “w”.  It is used in other words dealing with numbers like twice, and twenty.

Perhaps this tip will help: when in doubt, try reading the section aloud; unless you are in a library, then reading aloud is not allowed.  Oops, two more homophones.

 

There they are, four words with identical sounds.  If you use the wrong word the reader might think they hit an invisible tree root and lose the reading momentum you worked so hard to build.  Use every tool available to prevent that from happening, do not give your readers a reason to not finish your story. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more alerts about hazardous homophones search for  #HomophonesHurtYourWriting or #TyposHurtYourWriting on twitter.
Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I also offer another service at a great value, a week of multi-website promotion for your book. The details are on my website.
Quadruple homophones

Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a difference

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: Carrot, Carat, Caret, and Karat

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Like many of the previous blogs we are looking at homophones. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. 
I understand how important it is to have an error free manuscript. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer problems at one time or another. Because we sound words out in our mind, it is very easy to write the wrong word.
Let’s not forget typographical errors also, a slip of the finger on the keyboard can create a different word that may not be caught by a spell-checker. There are many groups of words that vary by only one letter, such as vary and very, or must, mist and most. Three of the words we are looking at today fit this criteria!
The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these hidden errors and providing your document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve.

Now, onto today’s episode! Fourth in the series about Quadruple Homophones. High score!

Carrot, an edible tuber many grow in a garden and millions of us eat in different forms. Wait, I am not going to go all Bubba on you, as in Forrest Gump; maybe a little, many of us like our carrots raw, some only cooked. I am very partial to carrot cake with walnuts. Some drink their carrots.  Okay, I will stop. I am not Rachel Ray.

Carat, precious jewels are weighed in carats.
      “It is so hot in here, I better take my 2 carat diamond engagement ring off!” She said, disappointed that no one in the office had noticed she was newly engaged.  

Karat, the purity of gold is measured in karats, with the finest commonly found being 24k gold.  It takes a lot of heating in a forge and skimming to remove the impurities in the molten gold.  This process makes the gold very soft, explaining why generations ago people would bite gold to see if it was pure.

Caret, this is an editor’s signal that something needs to be inserted at this point. The Caret looks like a little mountain. We see it on some keyboards, but not on others.

There they are, four words with identical sounds.  If you use the wrong word the reader might think they hit an invisible tree root and lose the reading momentum you worked so hard to build.  Use every tool available to prevent that from happening, do not give your readers a reason to not finish your story. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more alerts about hazardous homophones search for  #HomophonesHurtYourWriting or #TyposHurtYourWriting on twitter.
Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I also offer another service at a great value, a week of multi-website promotion for your book. The details are on my website.
Quadruple homophones
Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference.

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: He proved his Mettle and gets a Medal made of Metal, don’t Meddle

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Welcome to this edition of Words For Thought. Like many of the previous blogs we are looking at homophones. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
I understand how important it is to have an error free manuscript. With over 40 years of proofreading experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer fits and difficulties. Because we sound words out in our mind, it is easy to write the wrong word.
Let’s not forget typographical errors also, a slip of the finger on the keyboard can create a different word that may not be caught by a spell-checker. There are many groups of words that vary by only one letter, such as vary and very, or must, mist and most. Two of these words fit this criteria.
The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these hidden errors and providing your document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve. I find invisible spelling errors in 95% of published books.

Now, onto today’s episode! Third in the series about Quadruple Homophones. High score!

​Four way homophones are few and far between. I am pleased to present another set.
​Medal​ is a disk made of ​Metal​ to signify or commemorate an achievement in a contest, or to commemorate a military campaign. Sometimes with a ribbon to wear around the neck or hang on clothing.
​Metal is commonly a solid material made from refined ore dug from the earth. Gold, silver, and steel are very common forms of metal.
​Meddle​ refers to the act of undesirable interfering in something or someone’s business. A busybody snoops on other peoples business.
​Mettle​ is a positive characteristic of a person. It refers to the ability to persist and overcome in difficult circumstances.

There they are, four words with identical sounds.  If you use the wrong word the reader might think they hit an invisible pot hole while driving/reading and lose the reading momentum you worked so hard to build.  Use every tool available to prevent that from happening, do not give your readers a reason to not finish your story. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing on Words For Thought.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more alerts about hazardous homophones search for  #HomophonesHurtYourWriting or #TyposHurtYourWriting on twitter.
Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I have another excellent value for authors interested in promoting their book, see the “Review Your Book” tab on my website.
Quadruple homophones

Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference.

I made this Medieval Knights helmet as a project in my third year as an apprentice sheet metal worker. Based on an authentic design. It is made of 16 gauge stainless steel (not authentic to the period, I know, but it wasn’t my choice), three main pieces, and hand riveted. There is no welding or pop riveting. I spent 20 hours building it, 12 hours alone were needed for the riveting. The brass trim was an aesthetic choice to improve visual interest.

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: Dew, Do, Due, and Doo.

Posted on by Mark Schultz

Maybe I need a different title, but quadruple homophones are so uncommon, I get excited.  I am open to suggestions for a different title, please leave a comment.
Our selection this week is Dew, Do, Due, and Doo.  These words have been through adjustments over time.  Actually that can be said about most of the English language.
As mentioned previously, when people write or read to themselves they are saying the words out loud in their mind.  Most words have only one way to be spelled correctly. Computer spell checkers excel at correcting these words. However, there are a lot of word pairs, many word triples and the very rare word quadruples that sound the same. Computer spell checkers will not correct these words when they are used incorrectly.
You begin to see the problem now, each of these words is spelled correctly when used in the right context. Faced with a homophone quadruple the writer has a 1 in 4 chance of using the correct word in the chosen context.

Now onto today’s episode! High Score! Second in the series about Quadruple Homophones!

Dew is the moisture that is present on the grass in the early mornings.
Do is slang for Hairdo.  “Nice do” can be a pleasant conversation opener in a casual situation.
Due, library books are due by a certain date.
Doo is what we hope everybody picks up when they walk their dog.

There they are, four words with identical sounds.  If you use the wrong word the reader might think they hit an unnoticed crack in the sidewalk of reading and falter, losing the momentum you worked so hard to build.  Use every tool available to prevent that from happening, do not give your readers a reason to not finish your story. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more alerts about hazardous homophones search for  #HomophonesHurtYourWriting or #TyposHurtYourWriting on twitter.
Don’t forget the free offer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I have another excellent value for authors for promoting their book, see the “Review Your Book” tab. I have well over 100 book reviews on my website.

Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference.

Homophones Hurt Your Writing: Pair, Pare, and Pear

Posted on by Mark Schultz

We are looking at homophones today. Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. They can really mess with your writing.
I understand how important it is to have an error-free manuscript. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that homophones give almost every writer fits and difficulties. Because we sound words out in our mind, it is easy to write the wrong word.
Let’s not forget typographical errors also, a slip of the finger on the keyboard can create a different word that may not be caught by a spell-checker. There are many groups of words that vary by only one letter, such as must, mist and most. These three words have vowels that are beside each other on the keyboard.
The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. Word Refiner is dedicated to uprooting all of these invisible errors and providing your document free of spelling errors that you want and deserve. I find invisible spelling errors in 95% of published books.

Now, onto today’s episode!

Pair has multiple meanings of course, like so much of the English language.  We will consider two of them today:

First is to put two things together. Like pairing a wine with a particular food in a meal.

Second is to have a pair of apples or two of anything.

These two definitions are similar but not the same.

Look how Pair contrasts with Pare, this homophone is quite the opposite in meaning.

Pare means to reduce or make smaller.  When you Pare an apple, you are removing the skin of the apple, thus making it smaller.  You can also Pare a list of 7 items down to 3.

Pear, we have been talking about fruit, so we cannot ignore the third homophone of this set.  What a wonderful thing to eat, a ripe Pear, they can be so sweet and juicy or firm and crisp in taste, depending on the variety you eat.  I prefer the former personally.

 

We have our triple, two of the words even have the same letters; but in a different order.  The possibilities for hidden errors to creep into your writing are nearly endless in the English language because a computer spellchecker will not catch the correctly spelled word in the wrong context.

If you use the wrong word your reader might think they tripped on an unseen bump while reading and lose the reading momentum you worked so hard to create.  Use every tool available to prevent that from happening, do not give your readers a reason to abandon your story. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth as possible.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Homophones Hurt Your Writing.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner, for more information about hazardous homophones search for #HomophonesHurtYourWriting or #TyposHurtYourWriting on Twitter.
Don’t forget the #freeoffer for writers under the “Learn More” tab on my website. I have another excellent value for authors interested in promoting their book, see the “Review Your Book” tab on my website.

#HomophonesHurtYourWriting

Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference.

The next question is: How can I serve you?