Re: lexicon

Garrett Jones sikyal:

> well, two words having the same meaning is different from two words
> having a different argument structure. I will have the second type in
> minyeva, where each verb will have a different semantic role in the
> event for its direct object. What i don't want, however, is two words
> that mean the same thing plus have the same argument structure. Steal
> and rob have different direct objects: steal is the thing stolen, rob is
> the person it was stolen from. But, I won't have for example two words
> for "sell", with the direct object being the thing sold (this is one of
> the words i accidentally duplicated).
How about the distinction between "sell" and "vend"? Or "sell" and
"offer" (leaving aside the other uses of "offer")? "I'm selling the car
for $2000" and "I'm offering the car for $2000" are strictly synonymous,
but the second version implies greater willingness to bargain, and less of
a fixed transaction than "sell".

This is the sort of nuance that synonyms bring. You're welcome to omit
them if you'd like, but I consider it invaluable.


Jesse S. Bangs jaspax@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/
http://students.washington.edu/jaspax/blog

Jesus asked them, "Who do you say that I am?"

And they answered, "You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground
of our being, the kerygma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our
interpersonal relationship."

And Jesus said, "What?"

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