You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
~ Mark Twain

October 12, 2011

Homonymy

Mom in the '60s or 70s on Christmas


Looking at this picture, it's no wonder that I love plaid, big hair, and more than anything, vests! I love Vests! I have 9 I think. At least 4 sweater vests, 3 suit vests, and 2 long cotton ones - one of which has a lace back and lace panels.
That being said... definition states:
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings. Thus homonyms are simultaneously homographs (words that share the same spelling, regardless of their pronunciation) and homophones (words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of their spelling.) The state of being a homonym is called homonymy. Examples include: stalk (like a corn stalk) and stalk (the act of following/harassing a person.)
(thank you Wikipedia.)

So, why the Grammar lesson, you ask?
Well, first of all, I like grammar. And everyone could use a grammar lesson once in a while. But seriously, upon reflection this past weekend, I think my Mom and I are Homonymy. We are the same, but with completely different meanings.

My parents have sold our childhood home. Their home for the last 18 years. My Dad was in the Navy until the summer of 1990. Prior to that, we moved every 3 years to military housing. So in 1990 we moved to Clinton, Iowa. In 1992, my parents purchased their first home. And it was a doozy. Built in the 1860s (I think) it was 2200 sq and 2 stories with 4 bedrooms and 1 upstairs bathroom, an unfinished basement that still had the original oil drums from when the furnace was converted from coal to oil, before our own natural gas, and no central air conditioners. It had many previous owners, the last of which was a middle-aged bachelor who started projects and then... moved onto something else. So my parents had a lot of work to do with their first home. But they (along with my aunt and uncle) did it. They made a huge house into a home. And we loved it. So... Shannon and my little family travelled back to snap some pictures of our old house and our hometown. To have something to show for the 18 years of memories that we made. We plan on making Shutterfly books to hold these memories.

Mom and Dad are scheduled to sign the papers on their new condo on Thursday, November 10th.
Scary... a whole new place to live.

Guess what? I am wearing a sweater vest today. Navy blue over a white button down... with my hair in a high (but much smaller) bun.
The Homonymy continues.

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