Classification of Homonyms

Homonyms are subdivided into 1) full homonyms and 2) partial homonyms

Full lexical homonyms are words which represent the same category of parts of speech and have the same paradigm

match, n – a game

match, n – a short piece of wood used for producing fire

Ukr. сага – історичне сказання

сага – річкова затока

Partial homonyms are words which are identical only in one certain (or some) grammatical form:

to found – found (IId form of “to find”)

rose n – rose (past indef. of “to rise”)

to lie (lay, lain) – to lie (lied, lied)

Ukr. самка – самка (вид дитячої хвороби (тільки однина))

There is also subdivision of homonyms into homonyms proper which are the same in sound and spelling

ball n – a spere

ball n – a large dancing party жати /серпом – жати/ тиснути)

homophones – homonyms which are the same in sound but different in spelling

night – knight, piece – peace, сонце – сон це

homographes – words which are the same in spelling but different pronunciation

Eng. Ukr.

t o bow [bau] – bow [ bou] гладкий - гладкий

to lead [li:d] – lead [ led] замок - замок

In the process of communication homonyms are more of an encumbrance, leading sometimes to confusion and misunderstanding. Yet, it is this very characteristic which makes them one of the most important sources of popular humour.

Synonyms

Synonyms in the traditional meaning of the term are defined as words of the same category of parts of speech conveying the same notion but differing either in shades of meaning or in stylistic characteristic.

As synonymity is based on the ability to denote one phenomenon/object by means of numerous words, the regularities of its formation and classification are similar in the contrasted languages.

As a rule, synonyms are subdivided into:

1. ideographic, conveying the same notion but differing in shades of meaning

pretty – handsome

вивчати – штудіювати

2. stylistic – differing in stylistic characteristics

to begin – to commence

говорити – балакати

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

fatherland – motherland

буква – літера

Absolute synonyms are rare in the vocabularies of the CL

Two or more synonyms form a synonymic row, or a synonymic group to look – to glance – to stare – to view – to eye

гарний – красивий – чарівний – чудовий – вродливий

All (or, at beast, most) synonymic groups have a “central” word whose meaning is equal to the denotation common to all synonymic group. This is called the dominant synonym which expresses the notion common to all synonyms of the group in the most general way without contributing any additional information as to the manner, intensity, duration or any attending feature of the referent. So any dominant synonym is a typical basic vocabulary word. Its meaning, which is broad and generalized, more or less covers the meanings of the rest of the synonyms, so that it may be substituted for any of them.

Sometimes words, which form the synonymic row, may differ as for their valency/ collocability

рiece: a lump of sugar

a slice of cheese

a cake of soap etc.

Synonyms are one of the language’s most important expressive means, their principal function being to represent the same phenomenon in different aspects, shades and variation.

A carefully chosen word from a group of synonyms is a great asset not only on the printed page but also in a speaker’s utterance.

Any synonymic row represents a national specific phenomenon of a language, it means that it is pertaining to one language and as a rule, doesn’t have absolute equivalents in the contrasted language.

сильний мороз – hard frost

сильна людина – strong man

сильний дощ – heavy rain