I read an amazing story on the BBC Website this week. An American Tourist went to Iceland for a holiday, picked up his hire car, programmed the SatNav and drove to his hotel. Except the poor chap has mistyped the address. His hotel was on a major road int he capital of Reykjavik - Laugavegur. Except he typed Laugarvegur . the poor man inadvertently added an extra R. This resulted in a six hour detour and he ended up in the pretty fishing village of Siglufjordur, where there is a road called Laugarvegur.
It looks a very beautiful place, and he was welcomed and treated royally by the locals. He is now a media sensation in Iceland. It seems that many Reykjavik guidebooks mis-spell this word, so it may not have been his fault [though I wonder why he didn't stop when his one hour drive from airport to city turned out to be so much further]
But it made me think how adding or removing a letter R from a word can completely change its meaning
petty/pretty small minded, or beautiful
card/cad an amusing chap, or an unreliable chap
stray/stay wander, or remain
aid/raid help. or steal
cook/crook chef, or criminal
toy/tory plaything, or politician
lard/lad fat, or fellow
tire/tie to wear out, to bind together
work/wok labour, or chinese cooking pan
heath/hearth bleak outdoor landscape, warm fireside
drying/dying removing of moisture, or ending of life
My final two pairs were inspired by Paul's words in Roman 6
"The payment for sin is death - but God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus"
fee/free and paying/praying
Can you find any more good pairs?
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Very, very clever!! I like your pairs! I love the Iceland story too!
ReplyDeleteDrip and dip
drill and dill
Grin and gin!
trust YOU to think of gin!!
DeleteSurprising considering I don't drink!
Deleteframe/fame, crane/cane, marsh/mash, crone/cone, brag/bag.
ReplyDeletexx
marsh/mash is a good one because they do not rhyme
DeleteSow/Stow, crash/cash, dead/dad, mummy/tummy...
ReplyDeleteWing and wring, trail and tail, frail and fail!
ReplyDelete