Sumanyms

Sumanyms are a theoretical linguistic term describing lexical units that encode the combined meanings of two or more synonymous terms within a single form. The word blends sum, indicating addition or total, with onym, meaning name or term, and is used to discuss how some languages might compactly express a semantic sum rather than a single sense.

Definition and scope: A sumanym is a single word or sign intended to convey the aggregate sense of multiple related synonyms while preserving salient nuances of each contributor. In theory, sumanyms can arise when two or more synonymous senses are fused to create a unit whose meaning approximates the union of the originals.

Formation and types: Sumanyms may emerge through lexical fusion, semantic broadening, or deliberate coinage in multilingual contact settings. They can be analytic, where a phrase is condensed into a single token, or synthetic, incorporating affixes or phonological blending to signal the bundled meaning.

Examples: In a hypothetical language, the sumanym brillight could merge the senses of bright and brilliant to express both strong illumination and exceptional quality. Another example, calmsoft, might fuse calm and soft to denote a serene, gentle texture or ambiance. These examples illustrate a semantic sum intended to capture more than a straightforward synonym replacement.

Distinctions: Sumanyms are distinct from ordinary compounds, hyponyms, or polysemy, as they aim to encapsulate the combined semantics of several closely related terms within one unit, rather than simply adding a different lexical function.

Usage and research: The concept has potential applications in lexicography, natural language processing, and language teaching, where detecting and interpreting summed meanings could aid in sense disambiguation and cross-linguistic mapping. Empirical validation remains a challenge, given the hypothetical nature of sumanyms in real languages. See also: synonyms, polysemy, lexical fusion.