Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous

Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous By Maeve Maddox A reader comments: I have seen and heard the word homogeneous  used to refer to a multiracial or multicultural society, whereas I would have used heterogeneous. Surely homogeneous  describes an â€Å"unmixed† group of people or things? Homogeneous is from a Greek word meaning â€Å"of the same kind.† It is often used in the context of describing a group of people who are all of one race, religion, ethnicity, or gender. For example, until 1932 when Hattie Caraway of Arkansas became the first woman to win election to the US Senate, that governing body was homogeneous in that it was made up entirely of men. The following examples illustrate this meaning of homogeneous: Pastors in the United States need to be intentional in making their congregations less homogeneous and more multi-ethnic, says the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the country. Countries in Europe and Northeast Asia tend to be the most homogenous [sic], sub-Saharan African nations the most diverse. Note: In the second example, the spelling homogenous is an error. The word spelled homogenous (without the second e) is used in biology with the meaning â€Å"having a common descent.† For example, â€Å"Any graft, either autogenous or homogenous, that is not immediately required can be stored for use at a later date.† Heterogeneous is from a Greek word meaning â€Å"of different kinds.† It may also be used to describe inanimate objects as well as groups of people: Now residents of highly educated, high income, racially mixed communities are often attracted to interethnic heterogeneous churches. Rubbish is composed of  a heterogeneous mixture  of discarded materials and is largely of  household origin. It is made up principally of paper, rags, wood, glass, crockery, bottles, tin cans, and numerous  other wastes.   The  melting pot  is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements melting together into a harmonious whole with a common culture.   The â€Å"melting pot† example offers a clue to the apparent contradiction that the reader has noticed in â€Å"the use of homogeneous  used to refer to a multiracial or multicultural society.† For example, a group might include a mix of different races, but be the same in some other respect: â€Å"Unlike state prisons, which almost exclusively hold people serving state sentences, jail populations are heterogeneous, making them particularly challenging to manage,† the report said. In this context, prisoners in a state prison are seen as a homogeneous group, in contrast to prisoners in a local jail. The prison inmates, whatever their race or gender, are homogeneous in that they are all there for the same reason: all are serving state sentences. What makes the jail inmates heterogeneous is not race or gender, but the fact that they have different reasons for being there. Perhaps the most controversial of all philosophical dilemmas concerning the structuring of people within the middle school is the homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping debate. In this context, a â€Å"homogeneous grouping† would consist of children of similar abilities, whereas a â€Å"heterogeneous grouping† would include children of varying abilities. When lawmakers speak of the necessity to create â€Å"a homogeneous multiracial society,† their goal is a society in which race, ethnicity, and religion are of secondary importance to a sense of civic equality and consciousness of a shared culture. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Yiddish Handbook: 40 Words You Should KnowTaser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?Predicate Complements