SYNONYMS

Definition of Synonymy
Criteria of Synonymy
Types of Synonyms
Types of Connotations
Sources of Synonymy

Synonyms
words of the same language
belong to the same part of speech
possess one or more identical or
nearly identical denotational
meanings
interchangeable, at least in some
contexts

Synonyms
differ in morphemic shape
differ in phonemic shape
differ in shades of meaning,
connotations
differ in style, idiomatic use

Denotative Connota- style

Idiomatic
meaning
tive
usage
A belief
hope
having
neutral Lose
+desire that
hope, pin
something some event
ones
would
in mind
hope on
happen
which is
smth
likely to
May be of
Expecta
literary
good or of
happen
-tion
evil
Anticipa
-tion

pleasurable
expectation
of smth good

Criteria of Synonymy

conceptual criterion
the criterion of
interchangeability
semantic criterion

Conceptual Criterion
convey the same concept
differ in shades of meaning
differ in stylistic characteristics
BUT: Washington is the capital
of the USA. (referent is the same,

but theres no linguistic relationship of

synonymity)

Semantic Criterion
have the same denotation
differ in connotations

Semantic Criterion
denotation

To
stare
To
glare

To look

To
gaze

connotations
Steadily,
lastingly
Steadily,
lastingly

In surprise,
curiosity
In anger, rage,
fury

To look

Steadily,
lastingly

In tenderness,
admiration,
wonder

To
To look
glance

Briefly, in
passing

To look

The Criterion of
Interchangeability
interchangeable at least in
some contexts without any
considerable alteration in
denotational meaning

The Criterion of
Interchangeability
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 connotations
e.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 (colloquial), lass,
lassie (dialect), bird, birdie,
jane, fluff, skirt (slang), maiden
(poetic), damsel (archaic)

Dominant Synonym
high frequency of usage
broad combinability
broad general meaning
lack of connotations
e.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
generic term

dog wolf mouse

names of the species
included into generic
term

Sources of Synonyms
Native English French words - Greco-Latin
words - neutral literary
words learned
To ask
To question
To interrogate
belly

stomach

abdomen

To gather

To assemble

To collect

To end

To finish

To complete

teaching

guidance

instruction

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 referent which
is very popular attracts a large number of
synonyms
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. lab
laboratory 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 ones birthday suit