stopionym

Stopionym is a term proposed in the fields of linguistics and onomastics to describe a word or expression whose primary function is to halt or pause discourse. The concept treats such items as a distinct category of naming or signaling terms, separate from ordinary content words, because their central purpose is to stop action, direct attention, or end a segment of talk.

Etymology and scope: The word combines stop with the suffix -onym (name or term). It has appeared in a limited number of discussions about pragmatic markers and discourse management, but it is not widely standardized or universally accepted in the literature. Its usage tends to be exploratory or theoretical, applied mainly in analyses of how speakers interrupt, terminate, or pause communication.

Characteristics and examples: A stopionym can function as an interjection, an imperative command, or a fixed signaling device. Natural-language examples include the interjection stop, which halts a process or behavior, and wait, which delays ongoing action. Nonverbal stopions may also appear in the form of signs or symbols, such as the universal STOP sign on roads, which conveys a stopping directive independent of spoken language. In conversational use, stopions help speakers regain control of the discourse, reduce ambiguity, or cue a transition.

Relation to other terms: Stopionym is distinct from stop words used in information retrieval and from general discourse markers, though it overlaps with the broader category of pragmatic signals that regulate turn-taking and closure in communication.

See also: interjection, discourse marker, stop word, onomastics.

Note: The term remains uncommon and its exact definition varies among researchers.