LA SINONIMIA. PROBLEMA METALINGÜISTICO

Although it has long been a feature of linguistics. The concept of synonymy has nor really received the attention due to such an important linguistic phenomenon. As well as being ignored by those devoted to the field of semantics it has been the object of a major contradiction in the approaches of scholars actually involved with the subject, presenting the modern-day Theorist with nothing but paradox and inconsistency. A whole-sale reconsideration of the problem has to take place lo rid the concept of a host of myths and prejudices which it has traditionally had to bear and to establish the precise nature of the phenomenon. It can be deduced that the seemingly contradictory character of the subject is the result less of an instrinsic contradiction that of the inadequacy of existing approaches to the problem. A revision of the two most trouble some aspects (the ontological status of the phenomenon and the definition of what two units considered synonyms have in common) reveals how different approaches have become distinct perceptions of the same object and, thus Complementary not antagonistic standpoints. Hence amongst other things, it is necessary to bear in mind the distinction between the theoretical and methodological problem of synonymy (instrumental concept) and the phenomenon of synonymy in itself (empirical phenomenon); that the content of linguistic units, far from being one-dimensioned reveals a multiplicity of facets revolving around the three basic axes of «meaning» «designation» and «sense», each of wich corresponds to a dimension of synonymy. Finally, it is necessary lo see the importance of a consideration of the phenomenon in its actual occurrence in speech. The application of the «neutralization principie» to the content features of linguistic units and the construction, thanks to the speaker's «synonymic competence», of a scale of meanings within the overall textual meaning of a text, are fundamental in this regard.(…)A pesar de que la sinonimia ha sido considerada por muchos «uno de los platos fuertes de la semántica» 1 lo cierto es que ha venido recibiendo a lo largo de la historia de la disciplina lingüística un tratamiento que la ha convertido en un concepto marginal y marginado. Lo primero porque no se le ha reconocido la verdadera trascendencia que posee con relación a los demás hechos del lenguaje, lo segundo porque ha venido soportando el peso de toda una serie de mitos y prejuicios que se han obstinado, en el mejor de los casos, en condenarla a ser un vicio de las lenguas, un fenómeno patológico repudiado por la misma estructura de la lengua y los propios hablantes (…