A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics David Crystal

470 syndeton
synchronically to refer to identity between two forms of the same lexeme,
e.g walked in I walked (where it is past tense) and I’ve walked (where it is past
participle). The distinction is here syncretized, or ‘neutralized’.
syndeton (n.) A term from Greek rhetorical tradition, and sometimes used
in modern grammar, to refer to the use of conjunctions to link parts of a
syntactic construction, as in They spoke rapidly and quietly. It contrasts with
asyndeton, which describes the omission of conjunctions, especially in order to
achieve an economical or dramatic form of expression, as in They spoke rapidly,
quietly. Adjectival uses are syndetic and asyndetic respectively.
synonymy (n.) A term used in semantics to refer to a major type of sense
relation between lexical items: lexical items which have the same meanings
are synonyms. For two items to be synonyms, it does not mean that they should
be identical in meaning, i.e. interchangeable in all contexts, and with identical
connotations – this unlikely possibility is sometimes referred to as
total synonymy. Synonymy can be said to occur if items are close enough in
their meaning to allow a choice to be made between them in some contexts,
without there being any difference for the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Linguistic studies of synonymy have emphasized the importance of context in
deciding whether a set of lexical items is synonymous. For example, in the
context What a nice — of flowers, the items range, selection, choice, etc., are
synonymous; but in the context Her — of knowledge is enormous, only range
can be used, along with a different set of synonyms, e.g. breadth. Synonymy is
distinguished from such other sense relations as antonymy, hyponymy and
incompatibility.
syntactic blend see blending (1)
syntactic frame
see frame
syntactic function see function (1)
syntactics (n.)
see syntax
syntagm, syntagma (n.) see syntagmatic (1)
syntagmatic (adj.) (1) A fundamental term in linguistics, originally introduced
by Ferdinand de Saussure (see Saussurean) to refer to the sequential
characteristics of speech, seen as a string of constituents (sometimes, but not
always) in linear order. The relationships between constituents (syntagms or
syntagmas) in a construction are generally called syntagmatic relations. Sets
of syntagmatically related constituents are often referred to as structures.
Syntagmatic relations, together with paradigmatic relations, constitute the statement
of a linguistic unit’s identity within the language system. For example,
the function of /p/ in English phonology can be summarized by identifying
its syntagmatic relationships (e.g. p-it, ni-p, a-p-t . . . ) and the paradigmatic
relationships it contracts with other elements (e.g. p-it, b-it, n-it . . . ). Syntagmatic