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Lecture 4.

Meaning relations in paradigmatics and semantic classifications of words

1. Semantic fields and lexico-semantic groups. Hyponymy.

2. Synonyms. Classification of synonyms viewed synchronically.

3. Synonymy viewed diachronically. The sources of synonyms.

4. Antonyms.

1. Semantic fields and lexico-semantic groups. Hyponymy.

Modern English has a very extensive vocabulary. It may be classified in various ways. Here we are concerned only with semantic classification of words.

Closely connected sectors of vocabulary characterized by a common concept are termed s e m a n t i c f i e l d s. E.g., the semantic field of colour (blue, black, red, etc.), terms of kinship (mother, father, brother, etc.). The basis of grouping is not only linguistic, but also extra-linguistic: the words are associated because the things they name are closely connected in reality. Words making up semantic fields are not synonyms, they may belong to different parts of speech, but all of them are joined together by some common semantic component. E.g., in the semantic field of space there are nouns – surface, expanse; verbs – extend, spread; adj. – spacious, vast, etc.

Lexical groups of words belonging to the same part of speech and linked by a common concept are termed l e x i c o – s e m a n t i c group (LSG). E.g., bread, cheese, milk, meat make up LSG with the concept of food.

The relationship existing between elements of LSG and semantic fields is that of inclusion, or h y p o n y m y. E.g., the meaning of “car, bus, taxi” is included in the meaning of “vehicle”. The hyponymic relationship may be viewed as the hierarchical relations between the meaning of the general and the individual terms. The general term (vehicle) is called h y p e r o n y m, it serves to describe the lexico-semantic group (e.g., LSG of vehicles). The individual terms (car, bus, taxi) are called h y p o n y m s, they contain the meanings which distinguish them from each other.

2. Synonyms. Classification of synonyms viewed synchronically

Lexical units may also be classified by the criterion of semantic similarity (synonyms) and semantic contrasts (antonyms). Synonyms and antonyms are language universals because they exist in all Indo-European languages.

S y n o n y m s (Gr “syn” – with, “onyma” – name) are two or more words of the same language belonging to the same part of speech and possessing one or more identical or nearly identical denotative meanings, interchangeable at least in some contexts, but differing in morphemic structure, phonetic shape, shades of meaning, connotations, style and idiomatic use.

They are distinguished in English, Ukrainian (and in other languages), e.g.,

synonymous nouns as end, close, termination, conclusion, fin­ish, terminus, stopping; in Ukrainian: кінець, закінчення, зупинка,, огорожа/горожа, паркан, штахети, тин, живопліт, ліса; or: балакун, говорун, баляндрасник, торохтій, базікало, талалай;

synonymous adjectives as conclusive, ending, final, terminal, com­pleting, ultimate; in Ukrainian: кінцевій, останній, заключний, безмежний, безкраїй, безконечний, неосяжний, безмірний, неозорий, etc.

synonymous verbs as the following: act, play, perform, rehearse, star, mimic, imitate, inact, play a part; in Ukrainian: діяти, виконувати, відігравати, брати участь, грати, бити, батожити, періщити, дубасити, лупити, лупцювати, гилити, etc.

synonymous adverbs: surprisingly, unexpectedly, unawares, plump, pop, suddenly, and in Ukrainian: раптово, зненацька, негадана, як сніг на голову, швидко, скоро, прудко, хутко, шпарко, жваво, прожогом.

As any linguistic phenomenon, synonymy can be viewed both from synchronic and diachronic points of view. Synchronically we classify synonyms into the following groups.

I d e o g r a p h i c synonyms differ in the denotative component of meaning; they denote different shades of meaning or different degrees of a given quality. E.g., look, seem, appear; beautiful, fine, handsome, pretty; йти, рухатися, мандрувати, курсувати, прямувати; думати, гадати, роздумувати, міркувати, розмірковувати, розмишляти; поважний :: серйозний :: солідний :: статечний :: важний :: величний.The synonymic groups have a common semantic element and express one notion with different semantic shades or stylistic value. Each synonymic group comprises a synonymic dominant which is the general term potentially containing the specific features of all other members of this group (in the above given examples – look, beautiful, йти, думати, поважний). This dominant is generally both stylistically and emotionally neutral.

S t y l i s t i c synonyms are words which are close or identical in denotative meaning but differ in emotive value or stylistic sphere of application. E.g., (neutral :: elevated :: colloquial) – child :: infant :: kid; father :: parent :: dad; успіх :: торжество :: тріумф; радо :: охоче:: залюбки;говорити :: промовляти :: горлопанити:: бубоніти :: белебенiти :: теревенити :: гундосити; (neutral :: archaic) – often :: oft; there :: younger; (neutral :: poetic) – leave :: quit; open :: ope; лоб :: чоло.

T o t a l (absolute) synonyms which can replace each other in any given context. Examples of this kind can be found among technical terms peculiar to this or that branch of knowledge. In linguistics, e.g., noun :: substantive; functional affix :: flexion; in medicine: scarlet fever :: scarlatina; the flu :: grippe; сiм’я :: родина; відсоток :: процент.

C o n t e x t u a l (or context-dependent) synonyms are similar in meaning only in some specific distributional conditions. E.g., He bought (got) the book at the bookshop. Він купив (дістав) книжку. I can’t stand (bear) him. Я не можу його терпіти (переносити).

T e r r i t o r i a l (local) synonyms are words which don’t differ either ideographically or stylistically but are used in different countries speaking the same language. E.g.:

Britain	America	Canada	Australia
Autumn	fall	fall	autumn
Pavement	sidewalk	sidewalk	footpath

Dialectal differences are also observed in Ukrainian, the most distin­guishing of them being Western, Northern and Central regional dialects. In western Hutsul dialects, for instance, дєдя and нянько are used for father, верховина for uplands; in Halych region когут is used for півень, вуйко for uncle (дядько), вуйна for дядина, файний for гарний, etc.

Consider the set of synonyms with general meaning “ледар” determined by stylistic and territorial colouring: ледар – ледащо – ледацюга – ледарисько – ледай – ледач – ледень - ледака – легкобит - лiнивець – лiногуз – лiнтюга – лiнюга – нероба – баглай – багливик – байда – байдала – гульвiса – гультяка – засидень - лежебок – легака – легмас – лежнюха – лога – поленак – лацюга –лахмар – лайдак – лотр – лумпiй – леньоха – пустоцвiт – пустопаш – пустогай – пустоплях – дармотрус – набоштрик.