Synonym

As a synonym (from the Greek συνώνυμος synōnymos consisting of σύν syn, together ' and ὄνομα Onoma, name ' ) refers to various linguistic or lexical expressions, or characters that have the same or a very similar range of meanings. In particular, different words with the same or similar meaning are mutually synonyms, they stand in the relation of synonymy or of meaning, purpose or use of equality, similarity or kinship. A word with several possible meanings is a homonym whose meaning can vary according to context or intent statement. Synonym is a word, therefore, only in relation to another word and a context that determines the meaning of the word. Words with opposite meaning are antonyms.

• 3.1 Thesaurus, syntagmas and phrases
• 3.2 Synonyms linguistic signs different type
• 3.3 Inner language ( intralingual ) - between linguistic ( interlingual ) Synonyms
• 3.4 Territorial duplicates
• 3.5 pseudonyms
• 3.6 Symbols

• 8.1 synonymy generally
• 8.2 synonym dictionaries

Notion of synonymy

Prerequisite for the concept of synonymy is the distinction between word and term or - more generally - between characters ( or company name, name) and meaning of the sign; below is mainly a subject of word and concept. For a term there may be multiple words ( synonyms), and a word ( a homonym ) to call several terms.

In the term ( in the broad sense ) can between its content ( its intension or the cost associated with the concept idea) and its circumference ( its extension will designate by the term subject or object) can be distinguished. Accordingly, the term " significance " refers to equivocal, and both the intension and the extension of a term, or both. Synonymy in the sense of equality of meaning or conceptual similarity can therefore refer to the intensional and / or extensional meaning.

Because of intensional equality Extensional equality, but not from extensional equality an intensional follows, there are two possible combinations: ( a) intensional and extensional equality of meaning ( conceptual similarity ) and ( b ) extensional and intensional diversity equality of meaning ( conceptual similarity ).

The case of intensional and extensional identity is rare. One might think about to " twelve " = " 12" = " XII " = " twelve ". In all cases these terms mean in a manner identical to the concept of number [ twelve ] in intensional and extensional in so ways.

As a case of intensional and extensional equality diversity the example of Gottlob Frege " Evening Star " can - "Morning Star " are mentioned. Both words refer to Venus, but on a per different connotation.

Is widely used as an extensional equality Synonymiekriterium deemed sufficient. Synonymy can then be defined as extensional congruence or as partial or full " reference equality " of different characters. Since the truth value of a declarative sentence in predicate logic does not change, if indeed a predicate, but not change the direction indicated by the predicate extension, the following applies in other words as a criterion for synonymy interchangeability " salva veritate ", that is the truth value of a sentence may be not change. In a similar sense, an " interchangeable in contexts without any difference in meaning to evoke" is required.

Basically, the view could be argued that there is already an objective could be no synonyms in the sense of equality of meaning for words which should be sufficiently accurate images of linguistic terms, there would have to be the same and the words. That is, a word which, after not similar to any other of its shape, so would have to have a different meaning content, because it is not really the same word. In the Rechtsförmlichkeit called this principle synonym ban ie the same may not be designated with different words, same must be always referred to with the same words.

The Salva- veritate criterion is criticized by Willard Van Orman Quine as insufficient because it leads in Modalkontexten in big trouble. But Frege themselves were already aware of these problems of opaque contexts.

In contrast to the assumption that synonymy already exists when the same is referred to, is adjacent to this case, the reference identity sometimes different from the synonymy now and then as nothing more an intensional identity or similarity.

For the Synonymieverhältnis accompanying ideas is usually of connotative differences, that is, connotations and nuances, and thereby caused the exception. In the above numerical example, an equal importance is likely to exist in connotative terms. However, only in proportion " twelve " to " 12", as even the use of Roman numerals " XII " may be connoted with higher education.

Strict and partial synonymy

A distinction is strict or partial synonymy (meaning similarity).

Strict synonymy (meaning equality)

Strict synonymy ( equality of meaning, synonymy in the strict, narrow sense) requires not only that two lexical characters have the same denotative meaning, but also that they are interchangeable in all contexts and have the same effect in all contexts.

Examples of strict synonym pairs in German are expected to develop intuition: Orange - Orange; Matchstick - Matchstick.

However, here is an objection that this type of synonymy in the pair Orange - Orange is only valid for the northern half of the German language area. In German-speaking Switzerland and in Austria about orange is clearly marked as Teutonism. This word as part of a text would clearly than in northern Germany situate him acting, in texts that play in Switzerland or Austria, the word would sound strange. Also, this example can therefore only be seen as meaning similarity. In Bavaria, the use of the word orange would make a " newcomers " or vacationers mark.

Can also at reference equality thus "meaning differences" occur " rating by the speaker (horse - Klepper ), sociolect (money - beep ), Dialect (girls - Dirn ), stylistic levels of language ( room - chamber ), political parlance ( Attack - pre-emptive strike ), jargon ( vein - vein), euphemism ( die - go back home), foreign word usage ( downtown - city). "

The fact that a total of only a few indisputable examples of strict synonymy be found, it is understandable from an economic perspective, spoke. The tendency to avoid redundancies in the structuring of the lexicon can be in the vocabulary of natural languages ​​no greater amount of strict synonyms arise. Nevertheless, the concept of strict synonymy may be useful in terms of methodology to highlight an ideal reference point on an imaginary scale of the importance of equality.

Partial synonymy ( conceptual similarity )

General

An example of a non- strict synonym pair is messed up - confused, as is clear from the following examples:

Partial synonyms are also called Homoionyme. The following aspects of connotative meaning cause two lexical characters with the same denotative meaning does not meet the strict requirements of strict synonymy:

• Regional differentiation: butcher - butcher; Buns - Weckle - bread - bread roll
• Natives word against foreign word: Elevator / Lift - Lift

• Latin origin against Germanic origin: vertical - vertical

In most everyday situations using the less strict criterion of substitutability salva veritate is sufficient in typical contexts to identify a pair of lexical sign as synonyms:

From the facts described in Theorem 3a necessarily follow the facts and vice versa as described in Theorem 3b.

In short: There is a similar or almost same meaning for words and relationship to equivalence.

Hyponymy as a special case of partial synonymy

Expressions for sub-terms of a common preamble ( co-hyponyms ) are a special case of partial synonymy.

For Aristotle, the beginning of his categories this " the" form of synonymy. It reads:

" Synonym is called what the name in common and in which the names associated with the expression in terms of the essence, is the same as the man and the ox is a living being. Each of them is in fact named by common names as living beings, and the expression is in terms of the essence, the same. "

In the example of Aristotle, the terms "man" and "cattle " among other things, that same semantic feature [ beings ], which is also the generic term for the people and the cattle.

Manifestations of synonyms

Synonym words and phrases syntagmas

The ratio of the importance of identity or similarity of word meaning arises not only in words, but also - and " much more common " in groups of words ( syntagma ) and in complete sentences a.

• Examples:

Synonyms linguistic signs different type

Synonymy exists not only between lexical characters of the same type:

• A einwortiges lexical sign can with a mehrwortigen lexical characters be synonymous ( disturbing - butt in - get in the way )
• A means of word formation can with a einwortigen or mehrwortigen lexical characters be synonymous (Online - the net)
• Proper names, especially product names may develop into generic terms and thus become synonymous with the product name, for example pace for paper handkerchief.

From this perspective, then the indication of a synonym appears as a form of definition and has kinship with the paraphrase, as it comes to the "relation of sameness of meaning " in both cases.

There are synonymische and nichtsynonymische contexts. In synonymischen contexts words of a synonym group can be substituted for each other in spite of content and stylistic nuances, such as " laugh," " neigh " against or "photograph ", " record / snap" against. In synonymischen contexts the substantive differences are not updated, so the basis for an interchangeability is given. Only the similarities of the content to be addressed. From the Spezialsemen ( Sem = significance feature ) results in a similarity which includes both equality of difference. It should be noted that the connotative ( = the connotation accompanying importance for) the difference Synonymitätsstiftung can not influence, unless it covers the denotative similarity. In nichtsynonymischen contexts, however, the same words are not interchangeable because their specific content has been updated to be highlighted. One could even speak of " Augenblicksantonymen " because in this context the distinctive features are Dominanzseme, so the actual synonyms are not interchangeable, but in opposition, for example: Then I knipse times. Otherwise I photograph yes / This is not a comb, which is a rusty rake lice / I do not have a shop, I have a salon.

Inner language ( intralingual ) - between linguistic ( interlingual ) Synonyms

The meaning of equality ( similarity of word meaning ) of words ( verbal signs ) may within linguistically, but also be seen between different languages.

Territorial duplicates

As a special case of synonymy also territorial duplicates are listed. These can include " regional variations " of an expression that occur in larger areas than that of the dialects.

• Example: Saturday / Saturday

Pseudonyms

Pseudonyms as cover, camouflage or artist name can be interpreted as synonymous proper names.

Symbols

Abbreviated symbols as in the above numerical example, the numeral "1 " can be considered as synonyms.

Synonymy in linguistics

In the late 17th and in the 18th century worked in particular in French linguistics and philosophy on the concept and on the impact of synonymy.

In the generative - transformational grammar, the notion of synonymy is central.

With the synonymy, it is possible to identify paraphrases classes.

The synonymy is important in lexicology or lexicography. Classic in the doctrine of the Word field, lexikologisch now under the term synset (see word field ) are shown.

In word formation and involving an Synonymieverbot out: " According to the rules of word formation possible words are usually blocked when a meaningless same word already exists."

Synonymy and abstraction

From a well non- realist, empiricist point of view, the abstraction is constructed on the synonymy - term. " Meanings " are then " abstractions of expressions under synonymy ". Who am talking about the concept of a predictor, RELATES of the predictor " under consideration of synonymy ". In the wake of P. Lorenzen is assumed that statements about terms " nothing more than statements about invariant predicates ( are ). A term / P / is always represented by a predicate P, it is shown by the described operation of abstraction of this predicate, namely quite in the classical sense as its intension or intensional meaning. "

Synonym dictionaries

Synonym dictionaries are among the dictionaries with limited information program. For each keyword, the reasonable and appropriate related words are given.

Since absolute synonymy is rare, most dictionaries give this type of rather meaningless similar words. Users of these dictionaries must therefore have a high degree of linguistic competence in order to select for a particular context, the appropriate synonym can.

There are two types of synonym dictionaries:

• Distinctive Synonymiken specify the readings of polysemous lexemes and arrange the words of similar meaning to each reading (example: messed up (person) - confused, messed up ( things) - chaotic, mixed higgledy-piggledy ); a distinctive synonymy of the German Duden is a student. The correct choice of words.
• Cumulative Synonymiken arrange the lexeme a similar lexical characters without distinction of readings this lexeme; a cumulative synonymy is Duden Volume 8 meaningful and appropriate related words.

Dictionaries are often used synonymously in order to prevent in a text to frequent repetitions of a word. They can also be used for the systematic vocabulary work in the second language classroom.