Oh Language – a changing Scenario -6

 Oh Language – a changing Scenario -6

In the day’s episode we are to consider words with more than just one meaning. One such is ‘RUE’.

RUE

The term ’rue’ is an old expression to indicate the sense of regret that one may feel for what had happened and wish it had not happened. [A feeling of helpless regret for a wrongful act or happening].

Rue  has another meaning in that it refers to a herb Botanically named Ruta graveolens –a herb with a typical aroma said to drive away snakes [hence named Naga thaali’ in Tamil [நாக தாளி] But vernacular names are less precise as different plants are addressed by the same name in different regions.

The above is ‘not-so-common’ a term. But, quite a few terms – common in day-to-day speech also may mean more than just one thing. Such terms are ‘POLYSEMES; Polysemes are nouns generally .  The feature is named ‘POLYSEMOUS [Adjective] and the noun form is ‘POLYSEMY. Polysemes are of different types.

HOMOPHONES

Sound alike but differ by spelling or meaning as in Entry, Bat, Bow, Address =place or try to solve a problem

Spelling and meaning differ but sound alike

You /ewe, meat /meet, sweet /suite

Spell the same but meaning is different

Entry = Opening or Gate, Bat= A mammal or A sporting gadget        Bark =Dog’s vociferous reaction or  the surface layer of tree stem.

Bow =a device to shoot arrows or bend down in reverence

HOMOGRAPHS

These are spelled or pronounced alike but differ by meaning

Bank = a place of money transaction Bank on = rely on

Get =receive, I get it = I understand it

Head –body part, HEAD= To lead, Beginning of a page

Run= move quickly, Run = operate the work or business                      Run the office =manage the activity

Shoulder =a part of the body.  To shoulder = undertake responsibility

Seat – a sitting place , holds the seat= holding position of power 

Friends ,

I am not a person of shallow memory. In the last posting [Oh Language – a changing Scenario -5], I had elicited your reply to the suggestion that “Our mere perception of a word need not mean what it seems to suggest. An example that can simply destroy our ‘perceived’ meaning is “INTELLIGIBLE”. I request our readers to mention as to what they understand as its meaning”.

Some tried to get at the meaning through a pursuit of conversation throwing some vague suggestions [hoping that I would zealously respond]. I am not any naïve to succumb to cryptic efforts of drawing the answer.

From the grand tranquility that was steadfastly adhered to by our blog friends [until the reasonably long time of a week to ruminate, has silently passed by] two inferences are possible: a] either the meaning is obvious to them or 2] our friends are oblivious of the term and its implication.    My question keeps lingering fresh as rain bow.              Am I intelligible now?

*********************************************************