I’m just tripping out a little on meanings. I’ve been known to trip over my pronunciation of my list of tricky words. The combination and sequence of certain sounds overloads my speech processing and trips my internal circuit breakers. I probably just need a trip to a place with little paper umbrellas in the drinks.
“Stairway to Heaven” reminds us.
“Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.”
It also reminds us Led Zeppelin (or is it Lead Zeppelin) performed great guitar riffs.
During my brief research for this post (oh I’m sitting in my Institute for Better Postings chair) I learned that “trip” also has a nautical meaning. Living in the midwest and never being in the Navy I don’t get nautical much. How about you? Didn’t Olivia Newton-John have a hit song about getting nautical?
I found a site that offers learning guides for English titled “Free Language Stuff”. It has a section on multiple meanings. One of their guides gave me the idea for this problem sentence: My family always takes a trip on that rug.
Ohh it makes me wonder.
Oh yes the nautical trip meaning, Trip an Anchor - The act of breaking out the flukes of an anchor if they are caught on some obstruction.
Why do we have the multiple meanings? Do other languages have as many of these as English?
It won’t surprise you that I’m more familiar with linguini than linguistics. However, I often have a taste for linguistics. Digging under a layer or two of linguistic material reinforced the fact that I didn’t know much about the field. Did you know there is a theory of homonymic conflict? Best I can tell it has something to do with semantic change. Now is that the type of change I should support or the type that confuses the store clerk?
Tripping out on the Stairway To Heaven is better than tripping on it.
Ohh it really makes me wonder.
It also reminds us Led Zeppelin (or is it Lead Zeppelin) performed great guitar riffs.
During my brief research for this post (oh I’m sitting in my Institute for Better Postings chair) I learned that “trip” also has a nautical meaning. Living in the midwest and never being in the Navy I don’t get nautical much. How about you? Didn’t Olivia Newton-John have a hit song about getting nautical?
I found a site that offers learning guides for English titled “Free Language Stuff”. It has a section on multiple meanings. One of their guides gave me the idea for this problem sentence: My family always takes a trip on that rug.
Ohh it makes me wonder.
Oh yes the nautical trip meaning, Trip an Anchor - The act of breaking out the flukes of an anchor if they are caught on some obstruction.
Why do we have the multiple meanings? Do other languages have as many of these as English?
It won’t surprise you that I’m more familiar with linguini than linguistics. However, I often have a taste for linguistics. Digging under a layer or two of linguistic material reinforced the fact that I didn’t know much about the field. Did you know there is a theory of homonymic conflict? Best I can tell it has something to do with semantic change. Now is that the type of change I should support or the type that confuses the store clerk?
Tripping out on the Stairway To Heaven is better than tripping on it.
Ohh it really makes me wonder.
14 comments:
I took guitar class back in the late 70's and "Stairway to Heaven" was my final exam performance! Funny how things stay with us. Very informative post. Thanks!
I tried bass guitar. I never got it to sound right. Lyrics of many songs float around my brain from time to time. thank for sharing a comment
That road may be somewhere in Geauga County, Ohio. Perfect for a Sunday trip.
No, it is in another hilly part of the country. Taken while I was in the Ozarks of Missouri. I first used that pic in my post about the middle of nowhere.
http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2010/08/its-on-way-to-nowhere.html
thanks Wishing you a sunny hilly day.
We're having linguine for dinner tonight!
Nice. Just put it on a plate and enjoy. No need to look it up in a dictionary for the proper usage. thanks
I took a course in linguistics a long time back. So much of it was jargon but I like it all in all. I did a blog post some time ago about some of the more absurd terms. Can you pronounce lathophobic dysphasia? http://www.hondurasgumbo.com/2009/02/can-you-say-lathophobic-aphasia.html
I don't know. Do you think I have it? What is it? Oh no I must have it. What drug do I take for it? Must be a drug for it. I'll check your link. thanks
Do other languages have multiple meanings? Yes.
thanks I thought they might but I'm not really fluent in any other language. I just know a little conversational parts of a few others.
The origin of their name Led Zeppelin is pretty interesting.
I'm still completely tripping on this post.
BTW have you listened to the show A Way With Words? I think you'd like it.
http://www.waywordradio.org/category/episodes/
thanks I'll check that out. I do enjoy good radio shows.
Led. I remember learning this song on the piano years ago.
I like that words have multiple meanings - it makes language more interesting.
Confusing and interesting go together ok. thanks
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