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Origins of terminology and symbols used in semantics, pragmatics, and adjacent fields

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  • refer, reference, referent

    C.K. Ogden

    C.K. Ogden

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lasersoh@illinois.edu May 13, 2021 10:31 am

As a side note on the -ent/-ant suffix: Chrysler used to produce a car called the Plymouth "Reliant." I had one of these in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I suppose the name "Reliant" was chosen to connote reliability. But to me, the name always seemed funny; if something is reliant, that means it relies on something else, not that you can rely on it! No doubt the marketing staff at Chrysler were thinking of vehens in equo when they chose the name.

Reply to lasersoh@illinois.edu at 10:31 am