Polysemy and Homonymy Seen in Their Stylistic Use

Abstract

This article is concerned with stylistic phenomenon of polysemy and homonymy. Treated together they represent not only a complex linguistic phenomenon but also a stylistic one, which deserves proper treatment. In this article we mainly deal with the main sources of polysemy and homonymy in both English and Albanian Language in order to have a better understanding within the stylistic use. Using the comparative approach, we have tried to group the main sources of polysemy and homonymy, illustrated with examples. Specifically, we examine how phonetic, grammatical, and lexical ambiguity function stylistically in literary and popular discourse, drawing on texts such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Albanian comedic sketches. While English displays frequent structural and lexical-grammatical ambivalence, homonymy in Albanian is less common in everyday communication and primarily serves figurative or comedic aims. Ultimately, our analysis reveals that polysemy and homonymy function as deliberate stylistic devices rather than communicative obstacles, providing valuable pedagogical insights for foreign language learning.