SYNONYMSSYNONYMS

Definition of SynonymyDefinition of SynonymyCriteria of SynonymyCriteria of SynonymyTypes of SynonymsTypes of SynonymsTypes of ConnotationsTypes of ConnotationsSources of SynonymySources of Synonymy

Synonyms words of the same languagewords of the same language belong to the same part of speechbelong to the same part of speech possess one or more identical or possess one or more identical or

nearly identical nearly identical denotationaldenotational meaningsmeanings

interchangeable, at least in some interchangeable, at least in some contextscontexts

Synonymsdiffer in morphemic shapediffer in morphemic shapediffer in phonemic shapediffer in phonemic shapediffer in shades of meaning, differ in shades of meaning,

connotationsconnotationsdiffer in style, idiomatic usediffer in style, idiomatic use

Denotative Denotative meaningmeaning

Connota-Connota-tivetive

stylestyle Idiomatic Idiomatic usageusage

hopehope having having something something in in mind mind which is which is likely to likely to happenhappen

A belief A belief +desire that +desire that some event some event would would happenhappen

neutralneutral Lose Lose hope, pin hope, pin one’s one’s hope on hope on smthsmth

ExpectaExpecta-tion-tion

May be of May be of good or of good or of evilevil

literaryliterary

AnticipaAnticipa-tion-tion

pleasurable pleasurable expectation expectation of smth goodof smth good

Criteria of Synonymy

conceptual criterion the criterion of

interchangeabilitysemantic criterion

Conceptual Criterionconvey the same conceptconvey the same conceptdiffer in shades of meaningdiffer in shades of meaningdiffer in stylistic characteristicsdiffer in stylistic characteristicsBUT: Washington is the capital

of the USA. (referent is the same, but there’s no linguistic relationship of synonymity)

Semantic Criterionhave the same denotationdiffer in connotations

Semantic Criteriondenotation connotations

To stare

To lookTo look Steadily, Steadily, lastinglylastingly

In surprise, In surprise, curiositycuriosity

To glare

To lookTo look Steadily, Steadily, lastinglylastingly

In anger, rage, In anger, rage, furyfury

To gaze

To lookTo look Steadily, Steadily, lastinglylastingly

In tenderness, admiration, wonder

To glance

To lookTo look Briefly, in Briefly, in passingpassing

The Criterion of Interchangeability

interchangeable at least in some contexts without any considerable alteration in denotational meaning

The Criterion of Interchangeability

e.g. e.g. pretty, good-looking, handsome, beautiful girl

e.g. He glared at her (angrily) He glazed at her (with

admiration or interest) He glanced at her (briefly)

Classification of Synonyms (by V.V. Vinogradov)

absolute – words coinciding in all their shades of meaning and in all their stylistic characteristics

Classification of Synonyms (by V.V. Vinogradov)

ideographic (denotational)– words conveying the same concept but differing in shades of meaning

e.g. to look – to see – to gaze – to glare

Classification of Synonyms (by V.V. Vinogradov)

stylistic – words differing in stylistic characteristics

e.g. father – Dad - Daddy

Types of Connotations

connotation of degree or intensity

e.g. to like – to admire – to love – to adore – to worship

connotation of duration

e.g. to shudder (brief) – to shiver (lasting)

Types of Connotations emotive connotationse.g. to tremble – to shiver – to shudder

(emotion of fear, horror, disgust) – to shake

evaluative connotation – attitude towards the referent, labeling it as good or bad

e.g. well-known – famous - notorious (negative connotation) - celebrated

Types of Connotations causative connotation

e.g. to blush from modesty, shame or embarrassment

to redden from anger or indignation connotation of manner

e.g. to stroll – to stride – to trot – to pace - to swagger – to stagger – to stumble

Types of Connotations connotation of attendant

circumstances

e.g. to peep at smb/smth through a hole, a crack or opening, from a half-closed door, a curtain

to peer at smb/smth in darkness, through the fog, from a great distance, through dimmed glasses or windows

Types of Connotations

stylistic connotation

e.g. (girl) girlie (colloquialcolloquial), lass, lassie (dialectdialect), bird, birdie, jane, fluff, skirt (slangslang), maiden (poeticpoetic), damsel (archaicarchaic)

Dominant Synonymhigh frequency of usagebroad combinabilitybroad general meaning lack of connotationse.g. to look – to glare – to gaze

to make – to produce – to create – to fabricate - to manufacture

Hyponymy generic term –name for the notion of

the genus as distinguished from the name of species – hyponyms

e.g. animal - dog – wolf – mouse

generic term names of the species included into generic term

Sources of Synonyms Native English

words - neutralFrench words - literary

Greco-Latin words - learned

To askTo ask To questionTo question To interrogateTo interrogate

bellybelly stomachstomach abdomenabdomen

To gatherTo gather To assembleTo assemble To collectTo collect

To endTo end To finishTo finish To completeTo complete

teachingteaching guidanceguidance instructioninstruction

Synonymic Differentiation

the word survived with a meaning more or less removed from the original one and became an obsolete or archaic word

obsolete and modern words exist in the language but the obsolete word has a very specific meaning

e.g. girl – OE wench

Sources of Synonyms synonymic attraction - the the referent which

is very popular attracts a large number of synonyms

e.g. e.g. variants and dialects of English

e.g. lass (Scottish) - girl (English)

long-distance call (USA) – trunk call (British)

Sources of Synonyms word-building

e.g. e.g. lablab laboratorylaboratory – – shortening

cheery - cheerful affixation

anxiety – anxiousness phrasal verbs and set expressions

e.g. to continue – to go on

to smoke – to have a smoke

Sources of Synonyms euphemisms – a shift of unpleasant

meaning of a word to a more pleasant or milder one

e.g. drunk – merry

naked – in one’s birthday suit