Lecture 9. Homonyms. Synonyms. Antonyms (4 hrs)

Objective. To inform the students of the problem of classification of homonyms & synonyms; to raise the students’ awareness of the origin of homonyms & sources of synonymy; to develop cognitive skills of analyzing & summarizing the information, distinguishing between major & minor aspects, categorizing & estimating relevant facts.

Glossary: homonyms proper, homophones, homographs, full homonyms, partial homonyms, lexico-grammatical homonyms, grammatical homonyms, convergent sound development, homonymous affixes, dplit of polysemy, patterned homonymy, synonymic opposition, synonymic dominant, generic term, hyperonyms, hyponyms, ideоgraphiс synonyms, contextual synonyms, total synonymy, euphemisms, lexical variants, paronyms, contradictory and contrary notions, absolute and derivational antonyms, marked and unmarked antonyms, antonyms proper, complementary antonyms, conversives

Plan

1. Homonyms

2. The origin of homonyms

3. Homonymy treated synchronically

4. Synonyms

5. Interchangeability

6. Sources of synonymy

7. Euphemisms

8. Lexical variants & paronyms

9. Antonyms

9.1. Homonyms

In a simple code each sign has only 1 meaning, each meaning is associated with only 1 sign. 1-to-1 relationship is not realised in natural languages. Several related meanings are associated with the same group of sounds within 1 part of speech → polysemantic W. 2 / more unrelated meanings are associated with the same form → homonyms. 2 / more different forms are associated with the same / nearly the same denotative meanings → synonyms.

2 / more Ws identical in sound & spelling but different in meaning, distribution & (in many cases) origin = homonyms (from Greek homonymous (homos ‘the same’ & onoma ‘name’). Difference between the meanings: run fast; stand fast; A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast; Who feasts till he is sick, must fast till he is well. → Fast as an isolated W is a variable that can assume several different values depending on distribution.

All the possible values of each linguistic sign are listed in dictionaries. Lexicographers define the boundaries of each W = differentiate homonyms polysemantic Ws.

In speech 1 of all the possible values is determined by the context → no ambiguity may arise. It is absurd to have hard & fast rules about anything (Wilde). 2 / more meanings = puns / carelessness: “Is life worth living?” “It depends upon the liver.” “What do you do with the fruit?” “We eat what we can, & what we can’t eat we can.”

In English homonymy is particularly frequent, especially among monosyllabic Ws. Of 2540 homonyms in the “Oxford English Dictionary” 89% are monosyllabic, 9.1% have 2 syllables; mostly 1-morpheme Ws.

Classification of Homonyms. The most widely accepted classification: homonyms proper, homophones; homographs.

Homonyms proper = words identical in pronunciation & spelling: back n :: back adv :: back v. Homonyms are distinct Ws, not different meanings within 1 W.

Homophones = Ws of the same sound but of different spelling & meaning: buy :: by; him :: hymn; knight :: night.

The play-wright on my right thinks it right that some conventional rite should symbolise the right of every man to write as he pleases [rait] is a N, Adj, Adv & V, 4 different spellings, 6 different meanings. The difference may the use of a capital letter (bill & Bill): “How much is my milk bill? “Excuse me, Madam, but my name is John. Homophonic sentences: The sons raise meat :: The sun’s rays meet.

Homographs = Ws different in sound & in meaning but accidentally identical in spelling: lead [li:d] :: lead [led]; row [rou] :: row [rau]; wind [wind] :: wind [waind].

Various types of classification for homonyms proper.

I. Arnold: a comprehensive system is guided by the theory of oppositions. The distinctive features are lexical meaning (different – A, nearly the same – A), grammatical meaning (B, B), paradigm (C, C), basic form (D, D). 12 possible classes:

ABCD. Light n :: light a. Partial homonymy.

ABCD. Might N :: V. Bit N :: V

ABCD. Ws coinciding in some oblique form: in the plural / Past Tense. Axe – axes, axis – axes.

ABCD. lie – lay – lain & lie – lied – lied.

ABCD. Not changeable form Ws: for prp :: cj.

ABCD. full homonymy: spring₁ n ‘a leap’ :: ‘a source’ :: ‘the season’.

ABCD. Patterned homonymy: before prp, adv, cj. Regular among form-Ws.

ABCD. maximum identity. Lexical meaning is only approximately the same → variants of 1 polysemantic W.

ABCD. Conversion: eye n :: v. Patterned homonymy.

ABCD. Different parts of speech coinciding in some of the forms, thought n :: v.

ABCD. characteristic of synonyms & hyponyms.

ABCD. Cases of double plural with a slight change in meaning: brother – brothers :: brother – brethren.

R. Ginzburg: full & partial homonymy = homonymy of Ws & homonymy of individual W-forms; further subdivision: lexical, LG, grammatical homonyms.

Full homonyms: mostly within 1 part of speech (seal – печать; тюлень); different parts of speech – for (prp / conj).

Partial homonymy: mostly different parts of speech (a seal – to seal); exclusions: lie; found.

Lexical homonymy: different only in lexical meaning (a seal).

LG homonyms: both grammatical & lexical meanings differ (a bark – to bark)

Grammatical homonyms: different only in grammatical meaning (asked Past Simple – asked Part.II)