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In this article, I describe the structure and semantics of the Luganda particles nti and mbu that have previously been considered as having the same or similar meanings. By analysing Luganda corpus data, I show that although there are some structural similarities between nti and mbu, the two particles have distinct meanings or functions. Whereas nti introduces both reported speech, citations and plain complements, mbu is used to express reported/hearsay evidence (plus attitude), attitude only, and disapproval. It is further established that the meanings of the two particles is usually confused probably because of the fact that nti is used in reported speech constructions, while mbu introduces reported evidence. This therefore creates a risk of considering nti as the marker of the evidence. However, it has been shown that in such cases, evidential information is expressed by the reported speech which, itself, is built on the verb (mostly of ‘say’), since nti can actually be deleted without affecting the reported speech reading (and the evidential information, if available).

The Linnaean names Malva abutiloides, Sida alba, Sida americana, and Sida triquetra are investigated. Sida alba is a nomen nudum and not validly published according to the Art. 38.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. Sida triquetra is a superfluous and illegitimate name, replacement of the legitimate Sida trisulcata by Jacquin. The name S. americana is lectotypified by a specimen kept at LINN (No. 866.25). For nomenclatural purposes, the names Abutilon dentatum (= A. abutiloides), Albutilon ramosissimum (= S. trisulcata), Sida tricuspidata (= A. abutiloides), and Sida lignosa (= A. abutiloides) were also studied. These four names are lectotypified by specimens preserved at US (A. dentatum), PR (A. ramosissimum), and MA (S. tricuspidata and S. lignosa).

Abstract The specific nomenclature of the Pleistocene sabre-toothed felid Homotherium in the northern hemisphere has been a matter of contention for over a century up till the present day. Its correct taxonomy and systematics have, however, implications for our understanding of evolutionary patterns and biogeography of the genus. Here, we briefly review the literature and conclude that there existed only one intra-specifically variable species, to be called Homotherium latidens (Owen, 1846). It has priority over the name H. crenatidens (Fabrini, 1890). H. latidens had a wide distribution in time and space, i.e. the Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene and the northern hemisphere (Eurasia and North America). The large intra-specific morphological variation over time does not exceed that of a single population of large felines showing sexual dimorphism, supporting the long-term survival of a single species of feline top predator.

This article addresses teaching synonyms in Russian as a second foreign language and discusses two methods: simple synonym-matching at the semantic level and finding the appropriate word in context. These two methods were carried out in three stages: sharing the list of synonyms and making preliminary preparations, teaching the words with their stylistic features and usage areas, and practising the shared synonyms. The study was conducted with 35 English Translation and Interpreting undergraduate students at the A2 level who were learning Russian as a second foreign language in Türkiye. This article aims to reveal the effects of the method of finding the appropriate word on the learning process when teaching Russian synonyms. In the study, 40 synonyms frequently used in Russian were identified and applied in both methods. To evaluate learning, the students were given small quizzes prepared for each method’s purpose at the end of each method. In the first quiz, students were asked to find which word could be synonymous with which word through the simple-based matching method, while in the second quiz, they were asked to determine the synonym suitable for the context in the sentence. The quizzes administered to the participants are shared in the sample section, and the results obtained are shared in the findings section with their rates. While the sample was selected, the simple random sampling method was applied. The research data were analyzed via descriptive content analysis. In the conclusion section, the results obtained by comparing the correct, incorrect, and blank word rates of the quizzes applied in both methods are discussed. It is emphasized that in the process of teaching Russian synonyms, the method of finding the appropriate word for the context is quite effective compared with the simple synonym-matching method and has a very positive effect on the language learning process.

Pedestrianization is a significant discourse focus within urban planning and design research. However, the need for more clarity from the inconsistent use of near-synonym concepts or terms necessitates attention. This review article addresses this issue through a comprehensive analysis of synonym proliferation in pedestrian research, culminating in developing a robust “near synonymous toolkit” and “synonym selection framework”. Employing a linear snowball sampling technique, numerical analysis, and a qualitative content analysis-based summative approach, we examined sixteen peer-reviewed articles from 11 scientific journals. Through systematic classification based on consistency and variability, the summative review identifies three primary groups of near synonyms: dominant and widely utilized conceptual or terminological near synonymy in pedestrianization in the urban planning and design literature, near synonyms directly associated with a pedestrian, pedestrianize, and those indirectly linked to another conceptual or terminological synonymy. Further analysis delves into the nature of near-synonym concepts or terms, revealing three discernible patterns: the use of distinct, precise concepts or terms with near-synonym meanings, similar concepts or terms conveying divergent meanings, and the juxtaposition of unrelated vocabulary lacking semantic resemblance. These insights illuminate semantic relationships within the studied vocabulary, underscoring the importance of addressing inconsistency for clarity, precision, and coherence in scientific discourse. By offering practical guidance through the proposed framework, this study empowers academic researchers to navigate synonym selection adeptly, thereby enhancing the caliber of scholarly writing in urban planning and design.

Studies on Pseudomonas nautica Baumann et al. 1972 (Approved Lists 1980) and Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Gauthier et al. 1992 have shown that they should be treated as heterotypic synonyms. As a consequence, they have been treated as belonging to a single species, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Gauthier et al. 1992. This interpretation of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria/Prokaryotes is, however, based on a fundamental flaw in the interpretation of the wording of Rule 15 as documented in the 1975 and 1990 revisions where the wording has been partially corrected in the 2008 revision. A key aspect of the incorrect interpretation is that the nomenclatural type of a taxon, in this case Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Gauthier et al. 1992 (the nomenclatural type of the Marinobacter Gauthier et al. 1992) must be used instead of recognising the priority of the epithet in Pseudomonas nautica Baumann et al. 1972 (Approved Lists 1980), with the creation of a new combination Marinobacter nauticus (Baumann et al. 1972). It is now clear that there is no justification for that interpretation and it is necessary to create a new combination, Marinobacter nauticus (Baumann et al. 1972) in the situation where Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Gauthier et al. 1992 and Pseudomonas nautica Baumann et al. 1972 (Approved Lists 1980) are treated as heterotypic synonyms. Additional studies have shown that Marinobacter aquaeolei Nguyen et al. 1993 and Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus Gauthier et al. 1992 should also be treated as heterotypic synonyms.

This article is a corpus-based study, exploring three synonymous verbs: “join,” “participate,” and “attend,” in terms of the degree of formality and collocation. The data were derived from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). The results demonstrated that “participate” is the most formal word as it commonly appears in academic texts. Similarly, “attend” is as formal as “participate” and frequently emerges in newspapers. On the other hand, “join” has the highest number of occurrences in informal contexts, that is, spoken and television and movie subtitles. For the purposes of this study, the top-thirty frequently listed noun collocates with MI scores higher than three were examined. The collocates were categorized into themes according to semantic preference. It was found that “participate” and “attend” are more synonymous as these two verbs share a number of particular noun collocates. Moreover, “participate” and “attend” have some overlapping collocates as represented by the emerging themes. These shared themes highlight the close sense of relation between the two verbs. However, “join” is the least synonymous among these three verbs as it has its own unique sets of noun collocates. The conclusion made from distinctions in object noun collocates and the degree of formality can illustrate the usage of the three target synonyms.

Ruppia cirrhosa and R. maritima are two widely used names, each applied respectively to a long- and coiled-pedunculate species or a short- and non-coiled pedunculate species of Ruppia. The nomenclatural history of the two names is outlined here. A lectotype for the name R. cirrhosa is designated and the name is shown to be a homotypic synonym of R. maritima. Consequently, R. spiralis has nomenclatural priority over R. cirrhosa for the long- and coiled-pedunculate Ruppia.

It is a daunting task for EFL learners to clearly distinguish and accurately use near-synonyms in English. This corpus-based study aims to make clear distinctions between the usage of three synonymous nouns, namely “error,” “fault,” and “mistake,” with the focus on the degree of formality and collocations. Having analyzed the synonym distribution across genres based on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), the study discovered that “error” is common in formal contexts, e.g. academic texts, whereas “fault” and “mistake” prevail in informal genres, e.g. TV and movie subtitles. In terms of collocations, the top-thirty frequency lists of verb and adjective collocates whose MI score is ≥ 3 are presented. The collocates, categorized into themes according to their semantic preference, are shared by “error” and “mistake” to a certain extent, which confirms their high level of synonymy, while fault has its own exclusive set of collocates. Despite the overlapping themes and shared collocates among the three synonyms, each noun also strongly collocates with some different verbs and adjectives. Such variation in collocational patterns can shed light on the subtle usage of the three target synonyms.