英语同音词的成因 英语的词汇比汉语大得多，而英语中的同音词要比汉语少得多，这是一个值得研究的课题。本文想仅就造成同音词的原因做一下抛砖引玉式的分析，以期引起人们对这一“被遗忘的角落”的关注。 　  
Ⅰ</STRONG>.</STRONG> 专有名词与普通单词发音相同</STRONG>
这些专有名词在汉语中有相应的音译词语，已经为国人所熟悉，学起来读易好记，轻松有趣。写在横线前面的系专有名词，后面的为普通单词。
Korea—career, Gaul—gall, Chile—chilli—chili–chilly, Greece—grease, Dane—deign, Finnish—finish, Bonn—bonne, Bern—burn, Cannes—can, Nice—niece, Seoul—soul—sole, Rome—roam, Bali—barley, Wales—whales—wails, Gana—garner, Kashmir—cashmere, Latin—lattin, Hyde—hide—hied, Maine—main—mane, Venus—venous, Klan—clan, Martin—marten, Oder—oder, Seine—sane—sain, Kant—cant

Ⅱ. 缩略词与普通名词发音相同</STRONG>
I’d—eyed, I’ll—isle—aisle, aren’t—ant—aunt, he’ll—heel—heal, we’ll—wheel—wheal—weal, we’re—weir, we’d—weed, where’s—wares, he’d—heed, Miss.—miss, AIDS—aids

Ⅲ. 名词的复数形式或动词的单数第三人称与普通单词发音相同</STRONG>
Locks—lox, laps—lapse, nays—neighs—naze, haves—hose, ewes—use, brows—browse, corps—cause, cocks—cox, days—daze, claws—clause, flecks, mews—muse, paws—pause, rays—raise—rase –raze, rows—rouse, tacks—tax, ova—over, feet—feat, wacks—wax, arms—alms
 
Ⅳ</STRONG>..</STRONG> 动词的过去式或过去分词与普通单词发音相同</STRONG>
这些动词的过去式有：
Blew—blue, flew—flu, gilt—guilt, knew—new, saw—sore—soar, threw—through, wore—war, wrote—rote, rode—road, were—whir, Seen—scene, grown—groan, done—dun, thrown—throne, been—bean, born—borne—bourn, sought—sort, caught—court, taught—taut, heard—herd, won—one, sent—cent—scent, led—lead, fought—fort—forte.

Ⅴ. 前缀与普通单词发音相同</STRONG>
Anti—vs. ante, bi—vs. by—bye—buy, vice—vs. vise

Ⅵ. 因相邻字母重复与其它单词发音相同</STRONG>
有些是因为词尾的两个字母重复造成的同音词，如
add—ad, butt—but, bee—be, boss—bos, canvass—canvas, inn—in, nill—nil, wee—we, too—to, frizz—friz, redd—red, mandrill—mandril
有些是因为单词中间的两个字母重复造成的同音词，如
dessert—desert, cannon—canon, femme—feme
 
Ⅶ.</STRONG> “ r ”</STRONG> 音节造成的同音词</STRONG>
重读“ r ” 音节造成的同音词。
Birth—berth, curn—kern—kirn, curb—kerb, firn—fern, surf—serf, surge—serge, mar—ma, spar—spa, farther—father, hart—heart, worn—warn, forth—fourth, for—fore—four—faugh .
非重读“ r ” 音节造成的同音词。
alter—altar, seller—cellar, lumber—lumbar, manor—manner, razor—razer, minor--miner, prior—prier, sensor--censor , fakir—faker, sucker—succor, rumor—roomer, hanger—hangar, calendar—calender , trooper--trouper, meter—meter , steeler—stealer, waver—waiver, leaver—lever, weever—weaver.
 
Ⅷ</STRONG>.</STRONG> 因不同的字母组合发音相同而构成的同音词</STRONG>
1.当字母组合—ea—, —ee—, —ie—读作[ i :]时：
beat—beet, beach—beech, cheap—cheep, lea—lee, creak—creek, leak— 阅读全文>>