Friday, May 9, 2014

Cleavage is the coolest word ever. And here is why.

If you know me then you know that I have many problems with the English language and how many inconsistencies and exceptions it has to its grammatical and spelling rules.

But then on the other hand it does make for great fodder for comedy so we will let it slide another few hundred years I guess.

One word that has always stuck out in my mind since high school has been the word "CLEAVE". It is one of the only few words in the English language that are a homonym, and a homograph, and an antonym at the same time. That is, it's a word that is spelled exactly the same, it's pronounced exactly the same, yet it has two meanings that are different. And not just different but they also happen to mean the exact opposite. It's a word called a CONTRONYM.

Cleave can either mean to adhere or stick together as well as it can mean to split or separate. And that is why the word (and the image itself) of "cleavage" is the best thing ever.

Some other examples are Dust, Fine, Model, Skinned, and Strike. (but they aren't as cool to look at)