[Lexicog] Law of Synonyms

[Mike Maxwell]

I'm feeling crochety tonight.

Ronald Moe wrote:
> I believe the correct claim concerning 'synonyms' is that there are 
> no exact synonyms. For two words to be exact synonyms they would have
>  to be interchangeable in any and all contexts with no change in 
> meaning or any other aspect of usage.

Well, that's one definition of 'synonym'; I prefer another, which leaves
off the "or any other aspect of usage."

> Concerning 'laptop' and 'notebook', IBM does not sell 'laptops'.

Ah, but I owned an IBM laptop once.  Maybe IBM doesn't call it that, but
I did, and so did (and probably do) lots of other people, regardless of
the way IBM might prefer the world to be.  Just like I went and xeroxed 
some receipts yesterday.

> I shudder to think how I would clearly and concisely state the
> difference between 'laptop' and 'notebook'.

I think the point is that there is no difference--in meaning.
-- 
	Mike Maxwell
	maxwell at ldc.upenn.edu

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