As language users, we must have specific skills so that we can carry out our interpersonal relationships accurately and objectively. When dealing with specific situations of interlocution, as is the case of writing, this assumption seems to gain even more notoriety.
Thus, assuming that we are subjected to a conventional system, common to all, the lexical choices What we do, whether in oral or written form, maintain a close relationship with semantics. That is, when we make use of this or that word, we must necessarily be aware of its true meaning.
In this sense, we will address some issues related to paronymy, whose characteristic is demarcated by the similarity between sound and spelling that exists between the words, but with divergences in terms of meaning. Therefore, let us analyze some representative cases, in order to help you make the appropriate choice:
Apostrophe (interpellation, calling) X Apostrophe (graphic sign)
Bimonthly (which occurs twice a month) X Bimonthly (which occurs every two months)
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Syrup (liquid thickened during boiling in a sugar solution) X Tail (tail)
Denunciation (indictment, accusation) X Delay (delay, extension)
Unraveling (undo into yarn) X Unraveling (make ugly)
Undefeated (invincible, which has never been defeated) X Undefeated (involuntary, which proceeds against its own will)
Infant (who produces milk, breastfeeds) X Infant (who is still breastfeeding)
Moleta (marble instrument used to grind paints) X Crutch (support used by people with special needs)
Triple (rebut with rejoinder) X Triple (multiply by three)
Vivid (alive, ardent) X Vivid (someone who has lived long, experienced)
As you can see, especially in this last example, just one graphic sign is enough to demarcate semantic characteristics between the words. For this reason, we need to keep our eyes open.
By Vânia Duarte
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DUARTE, Vânia Maria do Nascimento. "Lexical choices: a relationship between spelling and semantics"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/escolhas-lexicais-uma-relacao-entre-ortografia-semantica.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
