We all know what palindromes are, right? Words that are spelled the same forward and backward.
Words like:
civic | dad |
deified | ewe |
kayak | level |
madam | mom |
noon | pop |
radar | redder |
refer | rotor |
sagas | sexes |
solos | tenet |
toot | wow |
These are words we use everyday without thinking about their uniqueness. They are so common, we are unlikely to be aware of their twin-image characteristics when we see the word, or register it when we speak it. If you’re like me – obsessive about words – I will now, for the foreseeable future, notice palindromes, even seek them out.
What about their opposites? What about those words that when spelled backward create entirely different words? Mirror-images of each other, unrelated in meaning, these word pairs are called “semordnilap,” – in case you didn’t notice, that’s “palindromes” spelled backward.
These are also regular, every day words. You also don’t think about whether they can be written backward as easily as forward.
Words like:
bats/stab | decaf/faced |
desserts/stressed | devil/lived |
dial/laid | diaper/repaid |
dog/god | fires/serif |
laud/dual | live/evil |
ogre/ergo | parts/strap |
peels/sleep | rats/star |
reed/deer | revel/lever |
reviled/deliver | smart/trams |
spam/maps | straw/warts |
As extra credit… what two words can be spell forward, backward and upside down, and remain the same word?
NOON
solos
This week’s challenge:
For this week’s challenge, pick two (2) palindromes, or one (1) pair of semordnilaps for your story. You can use any from these lists, or you can find your own. Highlight the words you use so we can see them better.
Do not include your palindromes or semordnilap pair in your word count – so for this week, you get a 102 word limit.
“A man, a plan, a canal – Panama!” ~ Leigh Mercer, 1948
What to do:
Using two (2) palindromes, or one (1) pair of semordnilaps for inspiration, write 100 Words + 2 – no more, no less. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.
Okay. Here is my palindrome attempt:
(Sorry. I highlighted the original but when I pasted it here the highlighting disappeared.)
Palindromes: Noon and Kayak
Morning mountain hikes filled her need for solitude and tested her mettle. While rambling near the mountain lakes she often heard the mournful cry of the loons.Their cry touched something in her. Around NOON their cries led her to abandon her walk for the sporting goods store. After talking over details and best options she completed her purchase. With the clerk’s assistance she loaded it onto the roof of the car. Driving to the reservoir she slid her new KAYAK off the roof and into the lake. Off she paddled in search of the elusive loons.
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I live very near a State Park where I can rent a kayak for the day. I do love just floating on the bayou, and searching for osprey and herons. It’s very serene.
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