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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Jon,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Maybe one of use. I only use the word ‘computer’ although I
know that is not precise. I was surprised during a recent 7-month-stay in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region> to hear
only the word “notebook.” Denotatively all three refer to the same
thing. Semantically the accent is put of different aspects: you can put it on
your lap,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>It functions like a notebook, you can
carry it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Fritz Goerling<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Fritz,<br>
What would you say is the semantic difference <br>
between 'laptop', 'notebook' and 'portable computer', then?<br>
Jon Mills<br>
<br>
--- In <a href="mailto:lexicographylist%40yahoogroups.com">lexicographylist@<wbr>yahoogroups.<wbr>com</a>,
"Fritz Goerling" <br>
<Fritz_Goerling@<wbr>...> wrote:<br>
><br>
> Is there a law of synonyms? I don't believe in synonyms. No two <br>
words are<br>
> exactly "synonymous" from the point of view of connotation.<br>
> <br>
> Concerning your example from the computer domain, let me mention <br>
another<br>
> example, given to me by a computer specialist. Who speaks of 'jump <br>
drive' or<br>
> 'pen drive' any more? It's probably between 'flash drive' <br>
and 'thumb drive'<br>
> nowadays. And who knows what will come up next.<br>
> <br>
> When two or more expressions come up at about the same time and <br>
compete,<br>
> 'brevity (punch)' is one factor IMO that makes the winner.<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> Brevity is the soul of wit (Shakespeare, Hamlet 2, 86-92),<br>
> <br>
> Fritz Goerling<br>
> <br>
> Law of Synonyms <br>
> There must be a law of synonyms somewhere (of phrasal synomyms <br>
> in particular). Dictionaries and thesauruses (thesauri) seem too <br>
> arbitrary & random too trust for this purpose. Of course, corpora <br>
> listings are easy for words. I've been wondering for years what the <br>
> world would gravitate toward -- "laptop" or "notebook"
<br>
> computer. "Portable computer" seems quaint, but... The reason
I'm <br>
> fishing in this pond is that I would hate wading through <br>
> dissertations or theses looking for synonym principles (must be <br>
lazy <br>
> or something). The only simple, quick source for finding phrasal <br>
> frequency comparisons seems to be google-counting. "Laptop" <br>
(computer<br>
> (s)) wins on this one, generally by 22%-30%. But we're dealing with <br>
> the `phrase' "notebook computer" and "laptop
computer." <br>
> Googling "notebook" alone skews the results. <br>
> Has anyone done, or seen, research about how one term (or <br>
> phrase) tends to predominate over others -- when two or more <br>
> expressions begin at about the same time? Is is there a phonetic <br>
> (e.g. reduplicative, length, ease-of-pronunciati<wbr>on) influence? Is <br>
> there a "great-man" influence, according to coiner? First come, <br>
first <br>
> served? Regional? Or is it truly unpredicable? <br>
> This is an open-ended question.... Any ideas?<br>
> <br>
> Scott Nelson<br>
><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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