2007-08-13 03:05:48 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
does that mean: 1. the word does not exist? or 2. english have very few words that some or many words have more than one meanings.
2007-08-13 03:20:06 · update #1
it is not homonyms. maybe a little like homographs. like: block: 1. to block something like a 'road block'. 2. a block away from your house. 3. a cube like thing. like ice blocks.
2007-08-13 03:28:52 · update #2
The word that has more than one meaning is called polysemantic.
2007-08-13 03:24:11 · answer #1 · answered by Oleg V 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean spoken word or written word?
Homonyms - same name/sound
colonel/kernel
The colonel had a kernel of corn in his beard.
and
Homographs - same spelling
wind/wind
Wind the clock. The flag fluttered in the wind.
Some words are both:
race/race
Which race of beings in Middle Earth will will the race up Mount Doom?
2007-08-13 10:21:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chinese . . . the poor things only have about 450 words (including the tonal variations) so a lot of their communication is pure guesswork.
2007-08-13 13:52:37 · answer #3 · answered by JJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pretty much all English words have more than one meaning if you think about it.
2007-08-13 10:13:27 · answer #4 · answered by arv9y 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋