Polysemous Polysemes
Polysemes are symbols that carry multiple meanings. There are several of these in grade 3 braille. Sometimes the same symbol stands for more than one thing within the same word. For example, in the word ambig;; ambiguity, dots 56 ; first represents the letters ui and then in the second instance it takes on the meaning of the letters ty. We know which interpretation is correct because of rules governing where symbols with certain meanings appear in a word and secondly, because of the lexical knowledge of whether or not a certain interpretation is actually a word or not. Here is a list of some of the interesting words that have these "chameleon" symbols in them in grade 3 braille.
| Symbol | Word | Grade 3 Braille | Meanings (in order) |
|---|---|---|---|
| j | |||
| jade | jj | the letter j, de (final) | |
| degrade | jgrj | de (initial), de (final) | |
| dejected | jject$ | de (initial), the letter j | |
| q | |||
| quadrangle | qdrngq | qu, le | |
| quadruple | qdrupq | qu, le | |
| z | |||
| sizzles | sizzlz | the letter z, the letter z, es | |
| zeroes | z]oz | the letter z, es | |
| zombies | zombiz | the letter z, es | |
| < | |||
| lightspeed | l<t<e$ | gh, sp | |
| spaghetti | <<0i | sp, gh | |
| : | |||
| wheelbase | :"lb: | wh, se | |
| | | |||
| courageous | c\rage\ | ou, ous | |
| outsourcing | \s\rc+ | out, ou | |
| [ | |||
| regrowing | [gr[+ | re, ow | |
| reavow | [av[$ | re, ow | |
| 7 | |||
| baggage | b77 | gg. ge | |
| luggage | lu77 | gg, ge | |
| 0 | |||
| attribute | a0rbu0 | tt, te | |
| littermate | li0]m0 | tt, te | |
| + | |||
| unhinge | +h+e | un, ing | |
| uninteresting | +_9+ | un, ing | |
| - | |||
| comeuppance | -eu-.e | com, pp | |
| compliancy | -pl,n- | com, cy | |
| complice | -pl- | com, ce | |
| @ | |||
| mayonnaise | m@onn@: | ay, ai | |
| precaution | @pc@;n | part of (pre), au | |
| foldaway | f@oaw@ | part of (old), ay | |
| ^ | |||
| toadstool | t^d/^l | oa, oo | |
| doily | d^^ | oi, ly | |
| considerately | ^30^ | part of (consider), ly | |
| _ | |||
| downfall | _4f_ | part of (down), ll | |
| eventfully | _etf_y | part of (even), ll | |
| " | |||
| cheery | *"" | ee, ry | |
| geometry | g"met" | eo, ry | |
| underweight | "uw"<t | part of (under), ei | |
| neurochemistry | n"ro*emi/" eu, ry | ||
| treehouse | tr""8 | ee, part of (house) | |
| ; | |||
| actuality | @a;l; | ua, ity | |
| fruity | fr;; | ui, ty | |
| blueness | bl;;s | ue, part of (ness) | |
| fluorescence | fl;resc;e | uo, part of (ence) | |
| , | |||
| dietician | d,tic, | ie, ian | |
| enthusiastically | 5?us,/c,y | ia, part of (ally) | |
| periodization | p],diz,n | io, part of (ation) | |
| . | |||
| glassless | gl..s | ss, part of (less) | |
| assembly | a.em.y | ss, part of (bly) | |
| countess | c.t. | part of (ount), ss |