Interpretation of the text

Exercise 1. Match the definitions with the terms:

1.Synonyms	a) is a group of words which are closed in meaning and cover a certain “piece” of extra linguistic reality
2. Paradigmatic level	b) studying the words in the dictionary, if they have a common semantic component in their definition
3. Synonymy	c) precisely the frequent words that have many synonyms
4. Thematic group	d) the connection of the word with other words in the system of the language are studied
5. Semantic criterion	e) are word-groups with a completely changed meaning
6. Polysemantic word	f) partial meaning equivalents expressed by words
7. Interchangeability	g) are two or more words which belong to the same part of speech and the same thematic group, interchangeable in some contexts
8. Ideographic synonyms	h) denote different shades of meaning or different degrees of a given quality
9. Phraseological fusion	i) criteria of synonymy

1. – g) 2. – d) 3. – f) 4. – a) 5. – b) 6. – c) 7. – i) 8. – h) 9. – c)

Exercise 2. Determine whether the statement is true (T) or false (F)

1. Paradigmatic connection include: synonymy, antonymy and hyponymy.

2. There are some words in a language which are completely identical.

3. Partial meaning equivalents expressed by words is called antonymy.

4. Thematic group is a group of words which are closed in meaning and cover a certain “piece” of extra linguistic reality.

5. In a great number of cases the semantic difference between two or more synonyms is supported by the difference in valency.

6. Stylistic synonyms denote different shades of meaning or different degrees of a given quality.

7. Synonyms are not used in set expressions, idioms and phraseology.

8. By the classification of Academician V.Vinogradov phraseological units are divided into two groups: phraeological units and phraseological fusions.

Keys:

1. T 2) F 3) F 4) T 5) T 6) F 7) F 8) F

Exercise 3. Insert the words missing in the text:

shades semantic equivalents identical partial

thematic connotations coincidence

It should be mentioned that there are no words in the language, which are completely 1)_________. So, we cannot speak about complete meaning 2)_______. We speak about 3)________ meaning equivalents. This type of equivalents expressed by words is called synonymy. Synonymy enriches the language because they let the speaker express different 4)______ of meaning. Besides, synonymy is the 5)________ in the essential meaning of words which usually preserve their differences in 6)_________ and stylistic characteristics.

Synonyms are two or more words which belong to the same part of speech and the same 7)_________ group, interchangeable in some contexts and are so close semantically that to use the correct in speech we must know their shade of meaning and stylistic connotation. What is thematic group? It is a group of words which are closed in meaning and cover a certain “piece” of extra linguistic reality.

After that we have to use the so-called 8)________ criterion. That means we have to study the words in the dictionary, if they have a common semantic component in their definition, they are really synonyms.

Keys:

1. identical

2. equivalents

3. partial

4. shades

5. coincidence

6. connotations

7. thematic

8. semantic

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. Name two levels, on which lexical meaning of the word is studied.

2. What is synonymy?

3. What do you know about synonyms?

4. Give the definition of thematic group.

5. What does semantic criterion mean?

6. By what is the semantic difference between two or more synonyms is supported?

7. Name two classification of synonyms.

8. What are phraseological units?

9. Divide phraseological units on the groups by V. Vinogradov’s classification.

10. Which groups of phraseological units can be synonyms to words?