Semantic mirage

A semantic mirage in neurocognitive linguistics is any semantic relationship between lexical and conceptual units in a cognitive system that leads to projections onto the world of properties that are not actually there.

Types

• The One-Lexeme-One-Thing Fallacy. The assumption that a lexeme stands for just one thing, ruling out the possibility that it might have different senses in different contexts.

• Reification. The assumption that a nominal lexeme must represent a thing, leading to the unconscious ascription of substantial reality to abstractions.

• The Unity Fallacy. The assumption that a concept represents an object that is an integral whole, even if closer examination would show it to be a relatively haphazard collection of diverse phenomena.

Sources

• Lamb, Sydney M.. 2003. "Glossary of Technical Terms" at LangBrain.