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In a message dated 4/24/02 7:23:43 AM, ElissaJC@... writes:

<< <<We are making a homophone chart.>>

If you're not already doing it, this might be a good jumping-off point for
the history of the words (etymology is what word history is called, but the
kids might not want to know that just yet!).

When there are homophones, either they were once pronounced differently, or
they came from two different languages.

And what are homophones in one dialect won't be in another. That might be
another side-collection to make. We were watching an Australian movie the
other night and sometimes had to rewind just to see what they had said.
Their homophone chart wouldn't look like ours.

In New Mexico, these three words are pronounced the same way: Mary, merry,
marry
In New Jersey, they are not.

In New Mexico, you might have to ask if someone wants a stickin' pin or a
writin' pen.

My third grade teacher (from somewhere in New England) tried to tell a bunch
of eight-year-old New Mexicans that the words "year" and "ear" were homonyms.
We all looked at each other like she had said to eat our desks, and marked
them as homonyms just to humor her (and make the five points <g>), but we
knew she was loony about that one little thing.

Sandra