Semantic Bleaching (Moderate)
Pattern
Function persists, specific meaning weakened — half-empty semantic vessel
Definition
A phrase where significant semantic content has been lost through conventionalization. The phrase communicates a general function (emphasis, hedging, transition) but its specific lexical meaning has substantially weakened.
Examples
Example 1
'At the same time' used as a discourse marker meaning 'however' or 'simultaneously in a figurative sense.' The literal temporal meaning (two events co-occurring) is rarely intended.
AI Detection Note
Moderately bleached phrases are the workhorses of AI prose. 'In terms of', 'when it comes to', 'on the other hand', 'to some extent' — these do structural work but carry little specific meaning. Their density is a reliable AI signal.
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