6.3 Synonymy

6.3 Synonymy

6.3.1 Definition of Synonyms

Definition: Words different in sound and

spelling but nearly alike or exactly the same in meaning

Problem: What kind of meaning does

“meaning” refer to?


Types of meaning: grammatical meaning lexical meaning conceptual meaning associative meaning connotative meaning stylistic meaning affective meaning collocative meaning


Examples: generous—extravagant = free with

money end—terminate = put to an end * end—final = relating to end * brother—fraternally = relating to brother One of two or more words which have the

same or very nearly the same essential meaning. (WNDS)

6.3.2 Types of Synonyms

Two types of synononyms: absolute synonyms relative synonyms


1. absolute/complete synonyms scarlet-fever—scarlatina 猩红热 composition—compounding word-building—word-formation words which are identical in both gramm

atical and lexical meanings, including associative meanings


2. Relative synonyms /near-synonyms words which are similar or the same in co

nceptual meanng, but may have differences in associative meanings (connotative, stylistic, affective, collocative)


change—alter 1. Yesterday I bought a coat, but it

was too big, so I took it back and ________it.

2. Yesterday I bought a coat, but it was too big, so I took it to the tailor and ______ it.

changed

altered


expensive—dear 笑 laugh smile grin chuckle giggle

微笑咧嘴笑暗笑嗤笑

大笑


chortle titter snigger guffaw cackle roar

哈哈大笑傻笑嘻皮笑脸地笑哄笑咯咯地笑狂笑

6.3.3 Sources of Synonyms

1. Borrowing. As a result of borrowing, words of

native origin form couplets （成对词） or triplets（三词组） with those from other languages, e.g.


Leave (English) depart (Borrowing) earthly terrestrial buy purchase English French Latin ask question interrogate holy sacred consecrated


2. Dialects and regional English, e.g. railway (BrE) railroad (AmE) mother (BrE) minny (ScotE)


3. Figurative and euphemistic use of words, e.g.

occupation/ profession

walk of life (fig)

liedistort the fact (euph)


4. Coincidence with idiomatic expressions, e.g.

win gain the upper hand decide make up one’s mind

6.3.4 Discrimination of Synonyms

The differences between synonyms may boil down to three areas: denotation, connotation, and application.

1. Difference in denotation (1) Difference in range of meaning timid: timorous:

momentary; habitualhabitual (disposition)


mend: patch: wind: breeze:

TV, bicycle, shoes, wallclothes

any kind

light wind


2) Difference in intensity of meaning rich—wealthy surprise—astonish unpleasant—disgusting anger—fury


2. Difference in connotation (1) Difference in stylistic colouring agree—concur small—diminutive fire—flame—conflagration time—age—epoch


2) Difference in affective colouring argue—quarrel modest—humble brave—foolhardy accomplice—partner/collaborator


3. Difference in application Collocation forbid sb to do sth prohibit sb from doing sth charge sb with sth accuse sb of sth


the world began/started the car started/began a man of sense/meaning


strong

powerful

argument

√

√

tea

√

×

car

×

√

6.5 Antonymy

6.5 Antonymy Definition: Antonymy is concerned with semantic op

position. Antonyms are words opposite in concept

ual meaning.

6.5.1 Types of Antonyms

1. Complementaries 互补 (contradictory terms, binary antonyms)

Examples: dead—alive present—absent single—married


Characteristics: truely opposite in meaning non-gradable and mutually exclusive


If one is absent, one cannot be present. No one can be both present and absent. single—married * S/He is very single, or more single, or

extremely single. * Zhang San is more married than Li Si.


2. Contraries 对立 (contrary terms, gradable antonyms, gradable opposites)

Antonyms of this type are best viewed in terms of a scale running between two poles.


They can accommodate a middle ground.

Huge. very big.big.quite big.medium-sized.quite small.small. tiny

NORM


More examples: old middle-aged young rich well-to-do poor beautiful good-looking plain ugly

Characteristics: gradable semantically relative


3. Converses 换位 (relative terms, relational opposites)

(1) social relation 　 parent—child 　 teacher—pupil 　 employer—employee



(2) spatial relation 　 above—below here—there 　 right—left



(3) reciprocal relation 　 buy—sell 　 give—receive borrow—lend


Compare: 　 husband—wife 　 man—woman If the adult is not a man, the adult must

be a woman. * If the adult is not a husband, the adu

lt must be a wife.

conversescomplementaries

6.5.2 Characteristics of Antonyms

1. Most of antonyms are adjectives, a small number are verbs, few are nouns.

2. A language has more synonyms than antonyms.

read, hit, house, book, power 3. A word with more than one meaning

can have more than one antonym.


Example: clear clear answer clear mind clear plastic bag clear water clear conscience

confusing/ambiguousmuddledopaquedirtyguilty


4. Antonyms differ in semantic inclusion.

One word includes the meaning of the other.

man—woman old—young There is no man on the island. There is no woman on the island. How old is the girl? How young is the girl?


5. A contrary term, gradable in nature, has its own antonym of similar intensity.

warm cool hot cold warm cold hot cool


Negative antonyms are not as strong as opposites.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

unhappysadhapp

yunproductive destructive

productive

unfree enslavedfree

6.5.3 The Use of Antonyms

1. Antonyms can be used to define words. Unlike her gregarious sister, Jane is a

shy, unsociable person.(gregarious—unsociable)

2. Antonyms are used to form contrast. weal and woe 　　 high and low 　 friend or foe 　　 give and take


Different word-order in Chinese and English: fire and water 　　水火 heat and cold 　　寒署 right and left 　　左右 old and new 　　新老 heavy and light 　轻重 sooner or later 　迟早 dine and wine 　　吃喝


Easy come, easy go. 来得易 , 去得快 More haste, less speed. 欲速则不达 United we stand, divided we fall. 团结则存 , 分裂则亡

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6.3 Synonymy