Practical work no.14

Singling out the denotative and connotative components of synonyms and classifying them according to the type of connotation.

Objectives: to single out the denotative and connotative components of synonyms and to classify them according to the type of connotation.

Ex.1. The sentences given below contain synonyms. Write them out in groups and show the difference using synonymous Russian words.

1. a) While Kitty chatted gaily with her neighbours she watched Walter, b) Ashenden knew that R. had not sent for him to talk about weather and crops, c) As he spoke he rose from the bed. d) He is said to be honest, e) He'll tell you all about himself, f) If you wish to converse with me define your terms. 2. a) She felt on a sudden a cold chill pass through her limbs and she shivered, b) Her lips trembled so that she could hardly frame the words, c) I was shaking like a leaf when I came here, d) He shuddered with disgust. 3. a) He gave his wrist-watch a glance, b) Tommy gave her a look out of the corner of his eve. c) But her abstract gaze scarcely noticed the blue sea and the crowded shipping in the harbour, c) Let me have just one peep at the letter. 4. a) Bessie gets up and walks towards the window, b) He did nothing from morning till night but wander at random, c) I saw a man strolling along, d) The men sauntered over to the next room. 6. a) The next witness was Dr. Burnett, a thin middle-aged man. b) The woman was tall with reddish curly hair and held a scarlet kimono round her slender figure, c) The girl was slim and dark, d) Studying him, Mrs. Page saw a spare young man with high cheekbones and blue eyes. 7. a) There was a fat woman, who gasped when she talked, b) She came in like a ship at full sail, an imposing creature, tall and stout, c) She was twenty-seven perhaps, plump, and in a coarse fashion pretty, d) He was a person of perhaps forty, red-faced, cheerful, thick

Ex.2. Single out the denotative and connotative components of meanings of the synonyms in the examples given below.

1. a) At the little lady's command they all three smiled, b) George, on hearing the story grinned. 2. a) Noticing that the) were no longer alone, he turned and again began examining the lustre, b) June had gone. James had said he would be lonely. 3. a) The child was shivering with cold, b) The man shuddered with disgust. 4. a) It's impolite to stare at people like that, b) The little boys stood glaring at each other ready to start a fight, c) The lovers stood gazing into each other's eyes. 5. The distance between the Earth and the Sun may be said to be immense', the distance between the poles is vast.

Ex.3. From the sentences given below write out the synonyms in groups and classify them into; A. synonyms differentiated by the connotation of duration; B. synonyms differentiated by the connotation of degree or intensity; C. synonyms differentiated by the causative connotation. Explain the reasons for your decisions.

1. He shuddered at the thought of a meeting that lay before him. 2. He merely blushed and said that he was jolly well going to go, because this girl was in Cannes. 3. Gosh, how 1 used to admire you at the dear old school. You were my hero. 4. That is the trouble about Cannes in August — it becomes very mixed. You get there splendid chaps who were worshipped by their schoolmates. 5. Her voice was trembling with excitement. 6. The girl was shivering with cold. 7. His face reddened, he could hardly keep his temper, 8. "I adore you, Mary," he said. 9. She would have liked to go there herself but couldn't.