Laboratory work 5

“Homonymy”

Discussion:

1. Hononymy in English (general description).

2. Sources of homonymy.

3. Classifications of homonyms.

Practice:

Practicum – Tasks 75-89, pp.330-356.

Literature:

1. Современный английский зык (слово и предложение). – Иркутск, 1997. – С. 182-186.

2. Arnold I.V. The English Word. – М.: Высш. шк., 1986. – Р.50-57.

3. Ginzburg R.S., Khidekel S.S. Knyazeva G.Y., Sankin A.A. A Course in Modern English Lexicology. – M.: Higher School Publishing House, 1966. – P.62-72.

4. Антрушина Г.Б., Афанасьева О.В., Морозова Н.Н. Лексикология английского языка. – М.: Дрофа, 1999. – С. 182-194.

Practice: Task 75

Do the meanings given below belong to a) one and the same polysemous word or b) homonymous words? Use several dictionaries to support your point of view.

1. SCHOOL • a place of education for children

• a large group of one kind of fish or certain other sea animals swimming together

2.BUG • any small insect

• an apparatus for listening secretly to other people's conversations

3.RIFLE • to make grooves (curved cuts) inside the barrel of a gun so as to make the bullets spin

• to search through and steal every­thing valuable from (e.g. a desk, drawers, handbag, etc.)

4.BASS • (a man with) the lowest male singing voice, below baritone

• a fresh-water or salt-water fish that can be eaten

5. SPLEEN • a small organ near the upper end of the stomach that controls the quality of the blood supply and produces certain blood cells

• violent anger, especially expressed suddenly

6. VAULT • a roof or ceiling made out of a number of arches, as in many churches

• a jump over something in one move­ment using the hands or a pole to gain more height

7. TANK • a large container for storing liquid or gas

• an enclosed heavily armed and ar­moured vehicle that moves on two endless metal belts

Task 76

Say in which of the following items: a) the meanings of a polysemous word are realized,

b) the meanings of two homonyms are realized. Use several dictionaries.

1. a tent pole - from pole to pole

2. a string of green beads round her neck - beads of sweat on her face

3. a good ear for music - an ear of wheat

4. three cracked ribs - the ribs of an umbrella

5. a slice of buttered toast - to propose a toast to the bride and groom

6. the bright beam of the car's headlights - "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" (J.D. Salinger)

7. roast beef - My main beef is that it went on too long

8. the spring of a watch - in spring and in autumn

Task 77

What linguistic phenomena are these jokes based on: a) polysemy, b) homonymy? Give your reasons for the choice made.

1. Diner: "Do you serve fish here?"

Waiter: "We serve anyone, sir."

2. Customer: "Waiter! What is this?"

Waiter: "It's bean soup, sir."

Customer: "No matter what it's been. What is it now?"

3. He had been trying to secure the attention of a waiter for ten minutes, but at last got up from his chair and, going to the cashier's desk, demanded to see the manager.

"What for?" asked the girl.

"I've got a complaint."

"Complaint?" retorted the girl naughtily. "This is a restaurant, not a hospital."

4. "My grandfather lived to be ninety and never used glasses."

"Well, lots of people prefer to drink from a bottle."

1. A boy applied for a job in a butcher shop.

“How much will you give me?" he asked.

"Three dollars a week; but what can you do to make yourself useful around a butcher shop?"

"Anything."

"Well, can you dress a chicken?"

"Not on $ 3 a week," said the boy.

6. An ex-serviceman staying at one of the hotels in Cali­fornia wrote to his friend: "I came up here for a change and rest. The waiters in this hotel take the change and the proprietor takes the rest."

7. "Why did they hang that picture?"

"Perhaps because they couldn't find the artist."

8. "The poets of today," says a critic, "at least put plenty of fire into their verses."

"The trouble with some of them is that they do not put enough of their verses into the fire."

9. "How is that," said a gentleman to Sheridan, "that your name has no О attached to it? Your family is Irish, and no doubt illustrious?"

"No family has a better right to О than our family," said Sheridan, "for we owe everybody."

10. "And how old are you, my little man?"

"I'm not old at all. I'm nearly new."

11. Nelly:"Is the man your sister is going to marry - rich?"

Dick: "I don't think so."

Nelly: "What makes you think so?"

Dick: "Well, every time mother talks about the wed­ding father says 'poor man'!"

12. Danny: "Mother, may I have a nickel for an old man who is crying outside?"

Mother: "Yes, dear. But what is the old man crying about?"

Danny: "He is crying, “Nuts, nuts, five cents a bag.'"

13. Dick: "My father always carries a young horse pistol with him."

Tony: "A young horse pistol?"

Dick: "Yes - a Colt."

14. "Your husband boasts he runs things in his family."

"He does - the lawn mower, the washing machine, the vacuum cleaner, the baby carriage and the er­rands."

15. "Hello, old man, had any luck shooting?"

"I should say I had! I shot thirteen ducks in one day."

"Were they wild?"

"Well, not exactly; but the farmer who owned them was."

16. "How long have you been learning to skate?"

"Oh, about a dozen sittings."

17. The wits say that everybody seems to be dieting in California. They're even planning to divide the state into No-Cal and Low-Cal.

18. "What are you reading?" asked the prison librarian.

"Nothing much," replied the prisoner. "Just the usual escape literature."

19. Orator (who noted the word "Push" on the outer side of the door when he entered the hall): "There is a single word which is the secret of success in this fair country. I will impart it to you; you will see it on the brass plate on the door."

Audience (reading in unison): "Pull!"