What Are Words That Are Their Own Antonyms?

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on words that serve as their own antonyms, known as contronyms. Participants highlight examples such as "egregious," which has evolved from meaning exceptionally good to its current negative connotation, and "cleave," which can mean both to stick together and to split apart. Other notable contronyms mentioned include "flammable" and "inflammable," as well as "sanguine," which can imply both cheerfulness and bloodthirstiness. The conversation also explores the historical context and semantic shifts that contribute to these unique linguistic phenomena.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of linguistic terminology, including antonyms and contronyms.
  • Familiarity with semantic evolution and historical linguistics.
  • Knowledge of specific examples of contronyms and their meanings.
  • Basic grasp of word origins and etymology.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the concept of contronyms in depth, including their origins and examples.
  • Explore the historical evolution of specific words like "egregious" and "sanguine."
  • Study the impact of sarcasm and irony on language and word meanings.
  • Investigate other linguistic phenomena such as homophones and homographs.
USEFUL FOR

Language enthusiasts, linguists, educators, and anyone interested in the quirks of English vocabulary and semantics will benefit from this discussion.

  • #31
arildno said:
To the natives:
Are "ingenuous" and "ingenious" homophone words?
No.
ingenuous - in jen you us
Ingenious - in jeen ee us.
 
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  • #32
lisab said:
There's one (I think just one) word in English that if you change the first letter from lower case to upper case, the definition *and* the pronunciation change.
Polish and Polish comes to mind. That doesn't look right, I should have started with the upper case one. How about a noun that changes from plural to singular by adding an s at the end.
 
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  • #33
jimmysnyder said:
No.
ingenuous - in jen you us
Ingenious - in jeen ee us.

Thanks
 
  • #34
jimmysnyder said:
Polish and Polish comes to mind.
Also Brat and Brat! :biggrin:
 
  • #35
Gokul43201 said:
Also Brat and Brat! :biggrin:

Wow!

I was thinking of polish/Polish, but now there's brat/Brat, and they're both types of sausage...how funny.
 
  • #36
Well one is also a http://webmaster.beverleypaine.com/images/new_brat.jpg
 
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  • #37
just thought of one:

Attack: to move swiftly toward one's opponents.

except in bicycling

Attack: to move swiftly away from one's opponents.
 
  • #38
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  • #39
Gokul43201 said:
Also Brat and Brat! :biggrin:
Both words are uncapitalized.
 
  • #40
Moot.
My mother claims that nowadays it's used to mean something that's irrelevent/resolved, so it doesn't need to be discussed ("a moot point"), but I first met the word when Tolkein uses it with its older meaning: a long discussion of a tricky topic ("an Entmoot").

On a similar note:
Mall (as in shopping mall) and maul (as into wound horribly) are from the same root:
There used to be a rather violent sport (used to be. snort. whatever.) which managed to bequeath its name both to the wooden clubs with which it was played (maul) and playing field on which it was played (mall). From the noun maul, the verb to maul was a natural consequence. The playing field also lent out its name, coming to mean any wide, smooth grassy area (there's a National Mall in Washington, D.C.), which in turn leant itself to any wide, open area, even an enclosed one with lots of stores inside.
 
  • #41
jimmysnyder said:
August and august, but it's not a sausage.

Bucket and bucket (to Hyacinth anyway)


I looked these up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_case_sensitive_English_words
Job, job

Natal, natal

Ranier, ranier

Herb, herb

Nice, nice

Reading, reading

Tangier, tangier.


Wow. Brilliant! Wiki-brilliant!

(I should have known Rainier - I see it straight out my my bedroom window)
 
  • #42
Poop-Loops said:
I also hate the word "irregardless". Whenever someone uses it, I can safely conclude that they are morons trying to act smart.

Alas, "irregardless" is, indeed, a word. Look it up.
 

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