[Lexicog] Law of Synonyms

[bolstar1]

Law of Synonyms 
     There must be a law of synonyms somewhere (of phrasal synomyms 
in particular). Dictionaries and thesauruses (thesauri) seem too 
arbitrary & random too trust for this purpose. Of course, corpora 
listings are easy for words. I've been wondering for years what the 
world would gravitate toward -- "laptop" or "notebook" 
computer. "Portable computer" seems quaint, but... The reason I'm 
fishing in this pond is that I would hate wading through 
dissertations or theses looking for synonym principles (must be lazy 
or something). The only simple, quick source for finding phrasal 
frequency comparisons seems to be google-counting. "Laptop" (computer
(s)) wins on this one, generally by 22%-30%. But we're dealing with 
the `phrase' "notebook computer" and "laptop computer." 
Googling "notebook" alone skews the results. 
     Has anyone done, or seen, research about how one term (or 
phrase) tends to predominate over others -- when two or more 
expressions begin at about the same time? Is is there a phonetic 
(e.g. reduplicative, length, ease-of-pronunciation) influence? Is 
there a "great-man" influence, according to coiner? First come, first 
served? Regional? Or is it truly unpredicable? 
This is an open-ended question.... Any ideas?

SIDE BAR: I've given up counting how often people misuse the 
term "phenomenon" vs. "phenomena." I cringe when I hear someone (esp. 
a scholar) say something like, "Now this is an infrequent phenomena." 
How can we cure this ear-pain? 
    
Scott Nelson


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