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Synonyms and Near
Synonyms in Dictionaries of
the English Language
Darija Omrčen
Faculty of Kinesiology, University
of Zagreb, Croatia
SEMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Synonymy, antonymy, polysemy, etc. are
the key relationships in the mental
lexicon of people. That is the reason
why many dictionaries list synonyms,
and sometimes also antonyms, of
words.
LEXICOGRAPHERS
- are not always in agreement as regards the
choice of synonyms for a certain word
HOW TO TEST SYNONYMY
- to analyse the degree of concurrence in
the connotation of a certain word
TECHNICAL LANGUAGE
- tries to avoid both synonymy and near
synonymy
- still, there are cases when synonymy is
possible
7 words/terms/lexemes in
11 general and 1 technical dictionary –
all monolingual
- recreation,
- fitness,
- leisure,
- health,
- well-being,
- wellness and
- sport
GNERAL AIM OF RESEARCH
How accurately dictionaries - in the case of
this analysis mostly general ones -
describe a certain concept by listing
possible synonyms and near synonyms of
their names.
SPECIFIC AIM OF RESEARCH
Whether there are any semantic links
between the analysed terms, and how
much attention do certain dictionaries pay
to listing the synonyms of certain words.
SPECIFIC AIM OF RESEARCH
To compare the two segments:
1 dictionaries published before the year 1995
2 dictionaries published after the year 1995
- the dependent variables:
1 sum of synonyms of all seven words
2 sum of synonyms of each word
for each of the 12 dictionaries in the sample
METHODS
- Frequency distributions per item per dictionary
- Chi-square tests of differences
RESULTS
R EC R EATIO N0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
Number of synonyms for the word recreation
per dictionary.
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word fitness
per dictionary.
F ITN ESS0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 1 8 2 0 2 2 2 4 2 6
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word leisure
per dictionary.
L EISU R E0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word health
per dictionary.
H EAL TH0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word well-being
per dictionary.
W EL L - BEIN G0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 1 8
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word wellness
per dictionary.
W EL L N ESS0 ,0 0 ,2 0 ,4 0 ,6 0 ,8 1 ,0 1 ,2 1 ,4 1 ,6 1 ,8 2 ,0 2 ,2
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
Number of synonyms for the word sport
per dictionary.
SPO R T0 2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 1 8
R 1
R 2
R 3
R 4
R 5
R 6
R 7
R 8
R 9
R 1 0
R 1 1
R 1 2
RESULTS
- chi-square test - between the segments the
set of dictionaries published before the
year 1995 and the set of dictionaries
published after the year 1995 – sum of
synonyms of all seven words per
dictionary - did not show any significant
differences between them (χ2=12.00;
df=11; p=0.36)
RESULTS
- chi-square test - between the segments
the set of dictionaries published before the
year 1995 and the set of dictionaries
published after the year 1995 – sum of
synonyms per each word per dictionary –
yielded only one significant difference:
the word wellness (χ2=6.00; df=2; p=0.05)
DISCUSSION - SPORT
“… a structured, goal-oriented, competitive, contest-based, ludic physical activity” (McPherson et al., 1989)
- the synonyms that can be found in dictionaries for the word sport – such as amusement relaxation, game, etc. – are most frequently connected with the original meaning of the word sport – jest and fun
DISCUSSION
The R8 dictionary, as a dictionary that offers on
the whole the largest number of synonyms
and near synonyms for all analysed
words/terms - lists the word sport as a
synonym for recreation, thus probably
connoting the fact that physical recreation
implies sporting activity and physical exercise
participation as one form of recreation in
general.
Oxford Dictionary of Sports
Science and Medicine (M. Kent,
1998)
- The term recreation is interpreted as active
leisure which is very similar to the concept of
physical recreation in kinesiology, and which
Kent terms physical recreation.
- In the term active leisure the attribute active
implies physical activity.
R8 DICTIONARY
Lists the words general condition, physical
condition, fitness, but also well-being as
synonyms of the word health.
FITNESS
This means that the word fitness is also found
among the synonyms for health and it is used,
both in general language and in the context of
sport, in the meaning condition or
capacity/ability.
THE CONCEPT OF FITNESS
Fitness as a concept can be considered
within the context of competitive sport
(which is then regarded as performance-
related fitness), but also within the context
of health (i.e. health-related fitness).
R6 DICTIONARY
Listed as many as 14 synonyms and near
synonyms for the term well-being, and no
synonyms for the word wellness.
the publication year - 1995 – of the R6
dictionary - too early year for including the
entry wellness into the English language
lexicon as regards the formation of the
concept of wellness in general (1970s)
EXPLANATION
The term well-being is better known to more
people and they probably frequently connect
it with the concepts of recreation and health,
maybe also sport in that part of the meaning
in which sport is regarded as a healthy
activity.
EXPLANATION
It is possible that the concept of well-being
is linked to the concept of wellness in the
mental lexicon of people.
WELLNESS & FITNESS
Wellness, as well as fitness, implies good
condition, both physical and mental.
CONCLUSION
The words/terms recreation, fitness, leisure,
health, well-being, wellness and sport are
interconnected.
CONCLUSION
Some of the analysed terms can be arranged as synonyms either by the superordinate field or by the subfield they belong to:
- fitness, from technical kinesiological point of view, can belong to a superordinate field of health, but also to the subfield physical preparation of athletes
- well-being/wellness also belongs to the superordinate field of health and the subfield recreation or leisure
