What is a synonym lexical relation?

Introduction
	Discovering and understanding the use of words which have the lexical relation synonym is important for the accurate and effective choice of words in communication and translation.

Definition

A synonym lexical relation is a relationship between two or more lexical units which have identical core semantic components and which differ only with respect to their supplemental or peripheral components.

Source:

Cruse 1986 267

Kinds

Synonym type	Definition	Example
Stylistic (most common)	A lexical unit that has a similar range of reference but is differentiated by speaker intention, the audience, and the situation.	{happy, glad, joyful}
Loanword	A nearly synonymous lexical unit, borrowed from another language to fill what is perceived to be a semantic gap.	The word kabunyan means 'sky' in Tuwali Ifugao, but the word langit which means 'sky' in Tagalog has been borrowed to refer to 'heaven.'
Dialectal	Different lexical units that are part of the vocabulary of different dialects but have very similar ranges of reference.	{flashlight (American English), torch (British English)}

Underlying structure
	The underlying structure of a synonym set is a simple set.

Frame
	Here is a frame for testing and eliciting a synonym lexical relation set:
	X is Y.

Context for this page:

Concept module: synonym lexical relation
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): S
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004