pomysem

Pomysem is a theoretical unit of meaning proposed to capture a stable core shared by related senses in a polysemous word. The term appears in discussions that link polysemy with sememe theory, which posits small units of meaning that compose lexical content. A pomysem is intended to be the smallest semantic contribution that remains constant as usage shifts across contexts.

It sits between the lexeme and its senses, conceived as an abstract feature bundle that anchors the core concept common to related senses. It is not a full sense or dictionary entry; rather, a pomysem is a reusable building block that interacts with context-dependent modifiers to produce varied meanings.

Illustrative but provisional, researchers may posit pomysems for common polysemous terms. For example, a pomysem tied to motion or transfer can be combined with contextual features to yield figurative uses. The exact content of a pomysem depends on theoretical assumptions and cross-linguistic study.

Reception is mixed. Proponents argue that pomysems offer a parsimonious way to model coherence among related senses. Critics note vague criteria for a core meaning, potential circularity in defining pomysems, and challenges in empirical validation.

Today, pomsem remains controversial and not universally accepted. It remains primarily a topic in theoretical debates about lexical semantics and polysemy, not part of standard lexical inventories. Ongoing work tests its usefulness for explaining how words maintain coherence across uses.