28. Patterns of synonymic sets. The synonymic dominant.

Each synonymic group comprises a dominant element. This synonymic dominant is the most general term potentially containing the specific features rendered by all the other members of the synonymic group. In the series leave — depart — quit — retire — clear out the verb leave, being general and both stylistically and emotionally neutral, can stand for each of the other four terms. The other four can replace leave only when some specific semantic component prevails over the general notion. For example, when it is necessary to stress the idea of giving up employment and slopping work quit is preferable because in this word this particular notion dominates over the more general idea common to the whole group.

Here are examples of other dominant synonyms with their groups: To surprise — to astonish — to amaze — to astound. To shout — to yell — to bellow — to roar. To make — to produce — to create — to fabricate — to manufacture. Angry — furious — enraged. Fear — terror — horror.

The dominant synonym 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.The following characteristic features of the dominant synonym can be underlined: High frequency of usage. Broad combinability, i. e. ability to be used in combinations with various classes of words.Broad general meaning. Lack of connotations.

The English word stock is extremely rich in synonyms which can be largely accounted for by abundant borrowing. Quite a number of words in a synonymic set are usually of Latin or French origin. For instance, out of thirteen words making up the set see, behold, descry, espy, view, survey, contemplate, observe, notice, remark, note, discern, perceive only see and behold can be traced back to Old English. (OE. seon and behealdan), all others are either French or Latin borrowings. Thus, a characteristic pattern of English synonymic sets is the pattern including the native and the borrowed words:

a. Double-scale patterns: Among the best investigated are the so-called double-scale patterns: native versus Latin (e.g. bodily--corporal, brotherly--fraternal); native versus Greek or French (e.g. answer, reply, fiddle-violin).

b. Triple-scale of synonyms (synonyms at three levels): Side by side with this pattern there exists in English a subsidiary one based on a triple-scale of synonyms: native, French and Latin or Greek (e. g. begin (start). commence (Fr.) initiate (L.); rise mount (Fr.) ascend (L.).

It has been said that we have a synonym at each level popular, literary, and learned.

English(ask,fire),French(to question,flame),Latin (to interrogate,conflagration)

In most of these sets the native synonym is felt as more colloquial, the Latin or Greek one is characterized by bookish stylistic reference, whereas the French stands between the two extremes.