Topics for presentations

· Paronymic attraction and its role in speech.

· Malapropisms. Folk etymology. Puns.

Seminar 7. Synonymy and Antonymy

Synonyms. Diagnostic criteria of synonyms. Definition of synonyms. Classifications of synonyms (absolute and partial synonyms, ideographic, stylistic and semantico-stylistic synonyms, contextual and total synonyms). Synonymic sets. Status and features of a synonymic dominant. Sources of synonymy: borrowings, word-formation, euphemisms.

Antonyms. Semantic calssification of antonyms: contrary (gradable, antonyms proper), contradictory (complementary, binary), conversive (conversives, converses, relational opposites), vectorial (directional) antonyms. Structural classification of antonyms: root and derivational antonyms. Contextual antonyms. Conronyms.

Test Questions

1. Give the definition of synonymy. Is complete synonymy possible?

2. What is a synonymic dominant?

3. What types of synonyms do you know?

4. What is the difference between stylistic and ideographic synonyms?

5. What is meant by contextual and total synonymy?

6. What are the sources of synonymy? What is the role of borrowings?

7. What structural types of antonyms do you know?

8. What semantic types of antonyms do you know?

9. What is the difference between contradictories and contraries?

10. What is the difference between conversives and contronyms?

Tasks and assignments

1. Analyze the synonyms given and find the difference between them. Consult a dictionary. Give examples of your own:

to leave – to depart, to rise – to ascend, fearful – awful, job – work, anaesthetic – painkiller, adolescence – childhood, traumatic – upsetting, inconsiderate – tactless, consequences – results, associated – connected, to demystify – to clarify, treatable – curable, to translate – to interpret, to know – to fathom, clean – hygienic.

Classify the synonyms into stylistic, ideographic and semantico-stylistic ones.

1) to begin – to commence – to start;

2) to eat – to partake – to peck – to wolf;

3) to tell – to narrate;

4) father – daddy;

5) to gaze – to stare – to glance – to look – to glare – to peep – to peer;

6) swift – fast – quick – speedy;

7) enemy – foe – opponent – adversary;

8) intelligent – smart – clever – ingenious – wise – quick-witted;

9) to wish – to desire – to yearn – to long;

10) to ask – to inquire – to interrogate.