Sound-Alikes: A Dictionary of Midwestern American English Homophones

FOREWORD

This lexicon had to happen since I’m a dyed-in-the-wool ‘nomenclaturist’ or ‘logotype.’ Would you believe: a (library) card-carrying ‘glossarian?’ I have an abiding interest in the names of things and the meaning of words. Let’s hope I’m not a ‘logastellus’ – which John McClellan described as “a person whose enthusiasm for words outstrips his knowledge of them?” Or, worse yet, a  ‘sciolist’ – which Eugene Erlich defines as “a superficial pretender to knowledge?”

I always enjoyed playing around with “sound-alikes” or phonetically similar words. Some get pretty silly such as Londonderry Airs vs. London derrières. Others are just plain fun – juxtaposed weirdness like: ice cream vs. I scream. How about acts lowly & act slowly… Icelander compared with I slander… tried icing or try dicing… lake sailing as opposed to lakes ailing… bum pout vs. bump out? Ad infinitum…

This book, however, is all about HOMOPHONES that sound alike when spoken yet having different spellings and different meanings or definitions.

My pronunciation, or idiolect, has a Midwestern patois, a blend of Northern and Midland dialects, because I have lived in metro Detroit, Michigan for 65 years. I’m guilty of having a ‘lazy tongue’ that elides through certain vowels, ignores diphthongs and blends consonants even though I’m a very slow speaker. In addition to my Midwestern drawl, I speak with a slight nasal twang; some think, at first, I’m Canadian. Eh?

The book includes several ‘foreign’ words. Our shrinking world has incorporated such alien language into our vernacular. A few commercial words, mostly automotive, are also included that reflect our everyday discourse. You’ll find several ubiquitous acronyms, as well.