Syncategorematic is an adjective describing words that form a meaningful expression only in conjunction with a denotative expression. These words, like prepositions and articles, have meaning within propositions only when used with other words.
Syncategorematic es un adjetivo que describe palabras que forman una expresión significativa solo en conjunción con una expresión denotativa. Estas palabras, como preposiciones y artículos, tienen significado dentro de proposiciones solo cuando se usan con otras palabras.
| Word | syncategorematic |
|---|---|
| Date | September 28, 2007 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | sin-kat-uh-gor-uh-MAT-ik |
| Etymology | In ancient Greek logic, "katēgorēma" referred to something that was affirmed or denied about the subject in a proposition. For instance, in "the paper is white," "whiteness" would be the "katēgorēma." Seventeenth-century logicians extended this concept, which they called "categorem," to cover the subject of the proposition as well. So, in the proposition "All men are mortal," "mortality" is a categorem and so is "man." But what about "all"? Words like "all" that signify quantity (as well as words that function as adverbs, prepositions, or conjunctions) are syncategoremata -- that is, they are words that have meaning in propositions only when used in conjunction "with" other words. ("Syn-" means "with.") |
| Examples | "In any language, there will be what are called syncategorematic words, such as prepositions and articles," explained Dr. Lewis. |
| Definition | : forming a meaningful expression only in conjunction with a denotative expression (as a content word) |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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