The barber clips together a lock of hair before he clips off the ends. The political boss sanctions a protest rally calling for sanctions. The stars come out when the lights go out.

Do you find these sentences confusing? Probably not. You might, however, if you gave a bit more thought to the inherent contradiction of the words.

In grammar school we learned about homonyms — words that share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings — like baseball bat and vampire bat. We also learned about antonyms — different words with opposite meanings — like virtue and vice. But when you find a pair of words that are simultaneously homonyms and antonyms, then you have found our latest addition to the Ethical Lexicon:

Contronym

A word possessing two opposite meanings.

A few common examples include:

Bound: heading toward a destination or restrained from movement.

Buckle: secure together or collapse under pressure.

Oversight: watchful observation or failure to notice.

It's hard enough to avoid misunderstanding under the best of circumstances. Even when we choose our words carefully and express ourselves clearly, we frequently find our message misconstrued. So how can we fathom — if the purpose of language is to enable us to communicate with as little ambiguity and confusion as possible — the preponderance of words that hold contradictory meanings?

The beginning of an explanation emerges from the earliest origins of Roman mythology. The Romans borrowed most of their gods from the Greek pantheon: Zeus became Jupiter, Aphrodite became Venus and Poseidon became Neptune, along with many others. But there are exceptions: Among the few Roman gods having no Greek counterparts we find Janus, the god of doors, gates and transitions.

Contronyms have been referred to as "Janus words," invoking the mythological deity depicted as having two faces. Looking forward and backward at once, Janus represents the middle ground between past and present, life and death, youth and maturity, chaos and order. The month of January, which begins each new year, is named for Janus, reminding us that our passage through time is a series of transitions; each passing moment serves to provide context and perspective for the moments that have yet to come.

Similarly, the existence of contronyms reminds us that knowing the meaning of a word is not enough unless we recognize its context. Just like the omission of a comma transforms the familial invitation of "Let's eat, Grandma" into the ghoulish solicitation of "Let's eat Grandma," the failure to discern context can radically distort the intended meaning of information into a wholly different or even opposite interpretation.

In politics, two opposing candidates may argue whether the economy is worsening and improving. Technically, both are right: Inflation may be on the rise, even as the rate of inflation is in decline. Facts without context are often worse than useless.

In business, short-term earnings often mask long-term setbacks or peril. Customer surveys cleverly designed to elicit high-satisfaction responses discourage meaningful feedback that would help streamline processes while promoting customer loyalty. Bullish indicators may well conceal the grizzly waiting around the corner.

Contronyms force us to pause and evaluate whether we're about to "bolt" down a deal or the client is about to "bolt," whether our "model" is an original or a copy, whether we're the only competitor "left" in the running or about to get "left" behind. Most important, they remind us to consider that there are two sides to every issue, that without examining all the angles we can't possibly make good ethical choices, let alone solid business decisions.

They also demonstrate how much control we have over our own response to circumstances. Anxiety and excitement manifest with the same symptoms: rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, increased perspiration. When we feel the first signs of tension, before labeling them as anxiousness, we can refocus ourselves and reframe our feelings as eager anticipation, producing positive energy rather than crippling fear.

We can do the same thing with how we view the personalities of others. You can choose whether to label Fred as OCD or conscientious, Suzy as flaky or free-spirited, Pat as hypercritical or an astute observer.

Our world is filled with contradictions, and our efforts to ignore or eliminate them inevitably prove futile. Recognizing that the way you choose to look at your reality will sometimes determine your reality is a positive step forward on the path toward a balanced and profitable future.

To find out more about Yonason Goldson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Joshua Hoehne at Unsplash