Гос филология / Гос филология / Лексикология / 7. Synonyms and synonymic sets

Synonyms and synonymic sets

Synonyms are usually defined as words similar in meaning; as words that express the same idea. In comparing synonyms we are mostly interested in their difference than in their similarity. English is very rich in synonyms. There are about 8000 synonymic groups. A group of synonyms is called a synonymic set, e.g. famous, celebrated, renowned, illustrious may make a synonymic set .A polysemantic word may enter as many synonymic groups as it has lexical semantic variants, e.g. the word “fresh” goes into 5 synonymic sets:Fresh – original – novel – striking – up-to-dateFresh – another – different – new

Fresh – impertinent – rude

Each synonymic set has a word, which expresses the most general idea – it is called the synonymic dominant. For instance in the series to leave – to depart – to quit – to retire – to clear out the word “to leave” is general of the other four terms being the synonymic dominant of this group. In traditional linguistics synonyms are defined on basis of the notional criteria; according to it synonyms are words of the same category of parts of speech conveying the same notion but differing either in shades of meaning or in stylistic characteristics. This definition was given by Russian academician Vinogradov. The definition of synonyms based on the semantic criteria runs as follows: “Lexical synonyms are different words of the same part of speech which have some common denotational components in their semantic structure but differ either in some denotational.

Functions of synonyms in speech: Synonyms have 3 main functions in speech: 1The function of substitution in order to avoid repetition and monotony 2The function of précising in meaning in order to reach a greater accuracy and avoid vagueness. 3The expressive stylistic function, e.g. clean (free from dirt) – neat (clean and tidy) – trim (in good order, neat and spruce) – spruce (neat, trim and smart)

Types of synonyms. According to Vinogradov, there are 3 types of synonyms: Idiographic synonyms: words conveying the same notion but differing in meaning. e.g. a look (a conscious and direct in devour to see) – a glance (a look, which is quick and sudden) – a glimpse (a look implying only momentary sights). Stylistic synonyms are words of the same denotational meaning used in different speech styles. They have the same denotational components but differ in stylistic components of their semantic structure, e.g. enemy/farter (neutral) – foe/sire (poetical) – adversary/parent (bookish) – opponent (official) / Dad (coloq.).

Absolute synonyms in English are words of exactly the same meaning, words identical in meanings, e.g. fricatives and spirants; fatherland and motherland. Absolute synonyms are very rare.

. Sources of synonyms in English

.Borrowings from French, Latin and Greek are the most numerous ones in English. They often express an idea or name a thing for which they already exist in a native word. That’s how synonyms appear in the vocabulary. In most cases the native word is more ordinary tan its foreign counterpart, e.g. to buy – to purchase, brotherly – fraternal, world – universe. Dialectisms are words from local dialects, which have entered the English vocabulary as regular words creating synonyms to the words of Standard English, e.g. Scotch synonyms: lass – girl,

Word-building processes., create synonyms to words already in use. The following cases are to be considered here: composite or phrasal verbs (составные глаголы), e.g. to choose – to pick out; to compounding which comprises composition and conversion working simultaneously, e.g. fight-back – resistance

Antonyms.

Traditionally antonyms are defined as words of the same part of speech which are opposite in meaning, e.g. big – small, lie – truth, to brake – to mend. In fact, the term is rather vague. Words opposite in meaning maybe characterized by different types of semantic contrast. Antonymy is a regular and very natural feature of a language in general and of the vocabulary of the language in particular. Not every word of a language may have an antonym though every word may have a synonym. Many words of concrete denotation have no antonyms, e.g. table etc. Names of physical and mental qualities usually have antonyms, e.g. round-square, bad-good… Abstract nouns also have antonyms, e.g. love-hatred, cleverness-foolishness, honesty-dishonesty etc. According to the relationship between the notions expressed antonyms are divided into contradictories and contraries. Contradictory antonyms form a binary complimentary opposition which admits of no possibility between the members, e.g. dead – alive, single – married, perfect – imperfect etc. Contrary antonyms form a gradual opposition which admits of possibility between them (intermediate members). e.g. cold –(cool, warm)– hot, beautiful –(plain, good-looking)– ugly.

According to their morphological structure antonyms may be subdivided into root antonyms

Root - they have different roots) bad-good

Derivational differ in derivational elements possible – impossible

There are several word-building affixes, prefixes and suffixes in the English language which help in the formation of antonyms, they are: prefixes – un (unusual), ir (irregular), im (impolite), in (inexperienced), il (illegal), dis (distrust), a (achromatic), ab (abnormal), under/over (overestimate), sub/super (superstructure), ful/less (artful), y/less (windy). (можно не говорить).