Wordplay Wonders :: Seeing things from both sides

Palindromes — those magical sequences that read the same backward and forward.

Whether you're a seasoned palindrome pro or a curious newbie, this blog post promises to tickle your brain and spark your creativity. Come along into the world of palindromes and revel in their delightful charm!

Let’s start with some classic palindromic words:

Level

Civic

Radar

Kayak

Rotor

Noon

Racecar

Madam

Rotator

Deified

Repaper

Malayalam

Redder

Refer

Reviver

Rotavator

Hannah

Tenet

Stats

These words might be short, but their charm is infinite. They’re perfect for impressing your friends or spicing up a conversation with a dash of linguistic flair.

Now, let’s dive into the more challenging territory of palindromic phrases. Crafting these requires a touch of creativity and a sprinkle of wordplay magic:

A Santa at NASA

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!

Madam, in Eden, I’m Adam

Never odd or even

Evil is a name of a foeman, as I live.

Do geese see God?

Was it a car or a cat I saw?

A Toyota's a Toyota.

Able was I ere I saw Elba.

Mr. Owl ate my metal worm.

Some men interpret nine memos.

Palindromes are more than just wordplay; they’re a celebration of language’s symmetry and creativity. They challenge our minds, spark our imagination, and bring a smile to our faces. So next time you’re stuck in traffic or waiting in line, try coming up with a new palindrome. Who knows? You might just create the next great symmetrical sensation!

Happy palindroming, everyone! Remember, in the world of wordplay, it’s all about seeing things from both sides.

Fun Facts:

- **Palindrome Day:** We celebrated 02/02/2020, a rare calendar palindrome. 

- **Palindrome Records:** The longest single-word palindrome in English is “tattarrattat,” coined by James Joyce in “Ulysses” to mimic the sound of a knock on the door.

Complications of the English Language.

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. Although it has been my first language throughout my schooling, I still find it difficult to comprehend how the same words mean different things, depending on how they are used in a sentence.

While doing some search, I came across a lot of words that could confuse the already confused. Here they go...

The farm was used to produce produce.

The bandage was wound around the wound.

The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

We must polish the Polish furniture.

The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

He could lead if he could get the lead out

I did not object to the object.

There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

They were too close to the door to close it.

The buck does funny things when the does are present.

A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear..

I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

A very famous line goes - There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple; English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.

The best one - A guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig...

While looking for more of such muddles, I came across this (The person who originally thought of these was definitely perplexed by the language!) 

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth?
One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?
One index, 2 indices?
One can make amends but not one amend?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
People recite at a play and play at a recital; Ship by truck and send cargo by ship...
We drive on a parkway and park on a driveway
Have noses that run and feet that smell.!

A house can burn up as it burns down, you fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm goes off by going on.!

The list is endless of the ideas that a word can present. Unless one is thoroughly aware of the different interpretations, you would end up in the wrong place - Quite Literally.!!

English, was invented by Humans, and as they say - To err is Human.!

:)

Edit 1: The below poem was forwarded to me on Social Media. Credits to original writer.

The Sound of Silenced Letters

We know the letter B doesn’t belong in subtle 

But what has the letter C got to do in a muscle?

The role of the D in Wednesday we can’t define

Why should G be present in a gnat or in a sign?

To be honest, does the H in rhyme ring a bell?

And can the J in marijuana anybody smell?

Who knows why the K in knee won’t knock

And why the L in walk or in calf would not talk

The first M in mnemonic is hard to understand 

Would the damned N in the column ever stand?

We can’t say the P in psalm or in psychology 

And S alone gets tossed out from the debris

Is the T heard when you listen to a whistle?

W is not write, it’s wrong, don’t try to wrestle 

X is the mistake in a faux pas, get the clue?

Ever wonder why Y did not have it's say in Say?

Hush, no rendezvous with Z, goodbye, adieu!

Edit 2: This poem was a part of Grade 7 English. Adding it in for the nostalgia :)

The English Language

By: Harry Hemsley

Some words have different meanings, And yet they're spelt the same.

A cricket is an insect, To play it--it's a game.

On every hand, in every land, It's thoroughly agreed,

The English language to explain, is very hard indeed.

Some people say that you're dear, Yet dear is far from cheap.

A jumper is a thing you wear, Yet a jumper has to leap.

It's very clear, it's very queer, And pray who is to blame

For different meanings to some words Pronounced and spelt the same?

 

A little journey is a trip,

A trip is when you fall.

It doesn't mean you have to dance

Whene'er mean you hold a ball.

 Now here's a thing that puzzles me:

Musicians of good taste Will very often from a band- I've one around my waist!

 

Or spin a yarn may be- Yet every spin's different spin,

You spin a top, go for a spin, As you can plainly see

 Now here's a most peculiar thing, 'Twas told me as a joke-

A dumb man wouldn't speak a word, Yet seized a wheel and spoke.

A door may often be ajar, But give the door a slam,

And then your nerves receive a jar- And then there's jars of jam.

You've heard, of course, of traffic jams,

And jams you give your thumbs.

And adders, too, one is a snake,

The other adds up sums.

It's a nickname (impolite),

A policeman is a copper,

Yet a copper in the kitchen

Is an article you light.

On every hand, in every land, It's thoroughly agreed-

The English language to explain Is very hard indeed!