The Concept of Sublexical Markers and the Notion of Semantic Invariants

Abstract

I hypothesize that the semiological invariance displayed by the initial consonant cluster sn- in the so-called "sn-words" of English is the surface trace of an underlying invariance. By heuristically setting up sn-words as a class, it is possible to identify a sub-class of these words which also seems to exhibit notional invariance. I claim that within the latter, sn- functions as a sub-lexical marker, defined as a semiologically & notionally invariant submorphemic unit. 6 Figures, 30 References. Adapted from the source document