Is synonymy a linguistic reality in economics English?

Abstract

This paper approaches the area of synonymy, starting from the fact that it has not been extensively explored. The first set of elements delves into diverse definitions, taking into account hyponymy and antonymy, and highlighting the relevance of the concept to different disciplines and research areas, followed by a closer examination of its connection to ESP. The last part looks at a new approach to synonymy in ESP for economics, such as its ‘scienceficality', levels within an ESP discourse, and intra- and intertextual synonymy. A new classification of synonyms in ESP is proposed, depending on the perspective adopted by users during their communication. As a result, the norm and the rule confirm the complexity of this issue for non-native students and users.