--- /Metaphone.java	2023-07-05 02:32:30.278157831 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/language/Metaphone.java	2023-07-05 02:32:30.278157831 +0200
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@
      *                          of type java.lang.String
      */
     public Object encode(Object pObject) throws EncoderException {
-        if (!(pObject instanceof java.lang.String)) {
+if  ( ! ( pObject  <=  java.lang.String )  )  {
             throw new EncoderException("Parameter supplied to Metaphone encode is not of type java.lang.String"); 
         }
         return metaphone((String) pObject);
