The Portuguese language has a very extensive lexicon (vocabulary), and spelling doubts have the same proportion. At times, the lack of correspondence between letter and phoneme causes spelling deviations. In others, the doubt is not in the spelling but in the meaning of the words. In general, what causes this is the graphic similarity between the words.
The words stripe and list often cause doubts, as they are similar both in spelling and pronunciation. Children, when they go to the zoo, are enchanted by the zebra and it is common to shout: "Zebra is all full of stripes!" some quickly "wrinkle their nose" and repeat: "Zebra is all striped!" Anyone who listens to both versions probably wonders who they're with reason. To resolve this issue, it is necessary to pay attention to the meaning of the two words. Keep track of their meanings according to the Houaiss dictionary.
- Stripe- s.f.: Vertical or horizontal trace on a surface, list.
- List- s.f.: Series of names of people or things, listing, inventory, relation, list.
Analyzing the meaning of the words, it is possible to understand that the zebra can have black stripes or stripes, since list is considered synonymous with stripe. So, when the situation calls for the use of a word to indicate stripe or stripe, the Portuguese language accepts both forms as correct. However, there are other situations where there is no possibility of words stripe and list be used as synonyms. Look:
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
The list of those approved in the entrance exam is already out.
You are on my guest list.
The list of beneficiaries is extensive.
On the internet it is possible to view the list of materials for the coming year.
In the examples above, there is no possibility to use the word stripe instead of list. The justification is that to indicate list, menu, relation, etc., the only possibility of use is the word list.
In short:
Stripe or List → Stripe or Stripe.
List → series of related things.
By Mayra Pavan
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PAVAN, Mayra Gabriella de Rezende. "List or stripe?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/lista-ou-listra.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
