Did I hear that correctly?

Commentary by Curtis Honeycutt

I’ve written before about mondegreens — music lyrics people mishear. Many of you mistake Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” line as “Hold me closer, Tony Danza.”

GRAMMAR GUY

Today’s column is along those lines.

Now that you’re refreshed on mondegreens, I’m sure you’re also aware of homophones, two or more words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Examples include peace/piece and whole/hole.

A visit to Masada National Park

Commentary by Don Knebel

or sentences that sound the same but are spelled differently. The difference between oronyms and homophones is that oronyms almost always cause confusion and lead to misunderstandings. Let’s get into some examples, shall we?

When it comes to my 9-year-old son, he has seasonal spring allergies, and he fancies himself an expert on many subjects. I could rightly say, “You’ll be amazed by the stuffy nose.” However, if I want to declare him a harbinger of facts, I could also say, “You’ll be amazed by the stuff he knows.” The two sentences are true, and they sound identical. But their meanings are different.

Here are two similar-sounding sentences that have incredibly different meanings. Consider “The drunk man fell into oblivion.” Now think about “The drunk man fell into a Bolivian.”

Travel

Today, in our continuing visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, we come to Masada National Park in Israel, about 45 miles south of Jericho.

During his reign as king of Judea from about 36 B.C. to 4 B.C., Herod the Great was a prodigious builder. The artificial harbor at Caesarea Maritima and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem were architectural wonders. But none of Herod’s many building projects have had the lasting influence of Masada, rising 1,300 feet above the Judean Desert. At the top of this rocky plateau, Herod built an elaborate city, complete with Roman baths, an underground reservoir holding 1 million gallons of water and a three-tier summer palace overlooking the Dead Sea. The only way up to the heavily fortified complex was along a narrow “snake path.”

In A.D. 66, Jewish revolutionaries captured Masada from the Romans. They and the families that joined them held out against a Roman siege until engineers built a ramp to the top and soldiers broke down the walls with a battering ram. Both the site of the Roman encampment and the remains of the ramp can still be seen from the snake path. According to Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, the entering Roman soldiers found all but seven of the 960 holdouts dead, killed by their own hands to avoid being taken alive.

Today, a metal plaque at Masada reads: “What of us? What is our Masada? How much of all this will we take with us, and how much of our own will we add?” For a time, members of the Israeli military walked up the snake path to be sworn in among the ruins, pledging that “Masada shall not fall again.” Masada, now also reachable by cable car, is a powerful reminder of the indomitable Jewish spirit and the universal yearning of people to be free.

With these in mind, you’re all set for today’s topic, oronyms. This sounds like a term for different names of gold. In fact, oronym is a recently coined term by author Gyles Brandreth. Brandreth, who is famous for being a past European Monopoly champion and president of the Association of British Scrabble Player, is also a witty linguist. He came up with the term “oronym” in his 1980 book, “The Joy of Lex.”

Oronyms, which are also known as continunyms or sliceonyms, are phrases

47. Board member

49. Tunes

51. Kinda

52. South American nation

55. Steinway products

59. Bypass

60. Madison Avenue park with a Lars Jonker sculpture

63. Tom Wood car type

64. Scent

65. Amber Indian Restaurant bread

66. Pacers’ three-pointers

67. Crafty website

68. Utters Down

1. Neutral shade

2. “Now hear ___!”

3. Church area

4. Mackey and Market Square, e.g.

5. Telephone pole sign words

6. Half of bi-

7. Eye part

8. Gestation sites

9. Acquiesce

28. Comic Carvey

30. Show the way, in a way 31. Low-budget prefix 32. Stair part 35. Bento Cafe cuisine 38. Indy park with “Ruins” 40. “Yes, captain!” 42. Timbuktu’s land 43. Hang on a clothesline roots, stumps in and around chain link or wood fences. We also remove tree stumps that are protruding up onto sidewalks and around sidewalks. We grind them and/or remove. Please Call & Text at 816-778-4690. WILL MOW LAWNS WILL DO BOBCAT WORK

Painting inside or Outdoors Clean Gutters Property Clean Outs FULLY INSURED Text or Call Jay 574-398-2135 shidelerjay@gmail.com www.jayspersonalservices.com

Vacation Property Rental

Hondo’s Hideaway on beautiful, serene Bald Head Island, N.C., is a new-tomarket, exquisitely decorated 3 BR/2.5 BA in prime location. Close to beach, shopping, market and dining. Owner’s suite on first floor with ensuite bath, tile shower, dual sinks and two closets. Second floor has two bedrooms with Jack-and-Jill bath, each with private sink and tile tub/shower. Two four-passenger golf carts, bicycles and kayak. Spacious screened porch. Additional queen air bed will accommodate two additional guests. Temporary club memberships to both Shoals Club and BHI Lifestyle Club. Kitchen is fully equipped with top-of-line large and small appliances as well as every culinary necessity you would need to prepare the most elaborate meal.

Additional details and photos: https://www.bhiturtletimevacations. com/vacation-rentals/rental/6988/

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SHOP TO CALL HOME?

Integrity Automotive is looking for a full time automotive technician. In business for 28 years in downtown Carmel with a solid, happy customer base and a positive, goodnatured work environment.

The best candidate is a motivated, well-organized technician with at least three years hands on experience in automotive diagnosis, problem-solving and repair. Able to interpret and apply diagnostic/repair information from computerized databases and other sources. Also able communicate clearly and effectively with your supervisor, your fellow employees and, as needed, with customers. A complete job description is available with a request to frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net.

We offer competitive pay with a Monday through Friday work week and (after 90 days) up to four sick/personal days per year and paid holidays.

To schedule an interview, send your resume with contact information to: frontdesk@integrityautomotive.net

40 S Rangeline Rd Carmel Indiana 46032 www.IntegrityAutomotive.net

Math Teacher

A math teacher at Midwest Academy will be responsible for teaching all aspects of mathematics, including fundamental and introductory algebra skills, to Middle School and High School students in a progressive environment designed for children with learning differences.

This position is full time and compensation is commensurate with experience. Strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a child-centered mentality are essential to this position.

To apply please send your resume to careers@mymwa.org

Help Wanted

Looking for an entry level employee to join our help desk.

Primary duties include inbound tech support calls and emails utilizing a project management, ticket tracking software. This is a part-time position, depending on experience and demand (15+ hours), in a flexible work environment.

Available shifts are mid-day 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and evenings 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Please send resumes to info@theankerconsultinggroup.com

Puzzle Answers Sponsored By Shepherd Insurance

Answers to HOOSIER HODGEPODGE: Adjectives: BAD, FIRST, GOOD, LAST, LONG, SHORT; Networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS; States: IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA; Mikes: EPPS, PENCE, WOODSON; Astronauts: JEMISON, RIDE; Town: SEYMOUR