La definición lexicográfica de contorno fluctuante

Abstract

Lexicographic definitions are constituted by a paraphrase or a paraphrastic wording, that reproduces the semantic content of the definiendum, and can be substituted by in any
context. This paraphrase is sometimes accompanied by a definitional contour which indicates the syntactic argumentative context in which the definiendum is used. However, an element, that clearly belongs to the contour according to some contexts, may become part of the paraphrase according to other contexts. That is the reason why “fluctuating contour” is proposed here, not to be confused with “optional contour”, as the latter refers to a type of contour that may appear implicit in some contexts without being part of the paraphrastic wording. The fluctuating contour appears very often, for instance, in the definitions of adjectives, when they may be used as nouns, whereas the optional contour is frequent when it refers to an adjective modifier. Verb definitions may also present quite often fluctuating contours, which may refer to subjects (for instance in definitions of “llover”, “nevar”. Depending on their personal or impersonal use), direct objects or adjective modifiers.