The English language is filled with a lot of words that sound the same. This is why some people may struggle with finding the right spelling, because they’re not sure which word they really need to use. One of the most common errors, for example, is mistaking “there” for “their.” Similarly, just one letter separates “canvas” from “canvass,” but they have entirely different meanings. And yes, even though they are spelled differently, canvas and canvass are pronounced exactly the same way.
A canvas typically refers to a strong cloth that is stretched out over a frame of some kind. For example, the surface on which a painter creates her work of art can be called a canvas. It can also refer to a certain type of material, as in the case of a canvas bag that you may use to carry some of your gear. The coarse, unbleached cloth material called canvas might also be used to make tents or sails. It is a sturdy, heavy duty fabric.
You may have heard of canvas prints. This is when you have a photograph that is printed directly onto the canvas material and then you have a different way to display your pictures than the more typical print on paper with a frame. The artist may put her canvas on an easel and then work with the paints on her palette to create something extraordinary.
To canvass, on the other hand, is the act of going around to solicit votes from a particular district. During an election season, a candidate may hire several employees to canvass a neighborhood, trying to convince the residents of the area to vote for him or her. Presidential candidates like Barack Obama and Mitt Romney rely heavily on canvassers to help them secure votes. To canvass can also mean to conduct a survey or poll, as well as to examine carefully.
Canvass can also be used as a noun with related meanings to its verb form. It can refer to the solicitation of votes itself, the actual surveying of public opinion, or the close examination or discussion of the matter at hand.
There is just one extra “S” that separates canvas and canvass, but their meanings could not be any more different. Do you have a suggestion for a future Grammar 101 post idea? I’d love to hear it.
Huh. Today I learned.
I’ve heard of both uses of these words before, but never really noticed that they’re spelt differently.
Are there many more examples of a word’s meaning changing by doubling the last letter? The only other one I can think of is cornet (a musical instrument similar to a trumpet) and cornett (another musical instrument, made using a brass-like mouthpiece, but with a more woodwind-like body where holes are covered by fingers).
I spent a lot of time in school studying Political Science before I decided Computer Technology was what I wanted to do. I actually did polling where I had to canvass a whole district of my college town. It always looked funny to me when I write it.
This is a very good example of Homophonic words.
Hi is there any best books that teaches homophone words with its pronunciation that helps me to improve my speaking skill as well helps me to ignore grammatical mistakes..