Polish and Record–Heteronyms.

I had a crisis of confidence when I was 6. My mom and brother and I were listening to a game show on NPR, and the contestants had to list heteronyms: words that are spelled the same but mean different things (resume resume, invalid invalid, permit permit). I could usually keep up with the game, but on this one, I was stumped. I was simply too small, and had not heard enough language.

Earlier this winter I wrote this:

He will wind up the lath, which once wound, will uncoil with a wind and wound him. Then the lather will lather himself with a poultice.

There are four heteronyms in that sentence. I guess I’m big enough to know!

Inspirational Quote:

“Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes.”–Theodore Dreiser, 1900