Course paper english lexicology

The reference list includes the alphabetical list of the sources used to carry out the work on the subject matter of the course paper.
CHAPTER ONE

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   What is Synonymy?
   

Synonymy in a language can be viewed as a basic concept in lexicology. When meaning relations of words are studied, most researchers are inclined to prioritize the concept of synonyms in their investigation. Etymologically speaking, the term synonymy originates from a Greek word sunonumon meaning having the same name.¹ Linguists interested in a study of meaning in language, known as semanticists, use this term to refer to a relationship of similarity or sameness of meaning between two or more words.

Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary defines synonym as a word or phrase which has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or phrase in the same language, such as small and little. In a study of synonyms, two major types, strict and loose synonyms, are worth being discussed.
We shall now submit to consideration words alike in meaning though entirely different in shape, which we generally call synonyms. Synonyms are usually defined as words different in form but denoting different shades of a common meaning. Every group of synonyms represents a certain unity for they denote one concept characterizing it from different sides. Synonyms may express various peculiarities of that concept, they may express subtle shades of emotional colouring or modal meaning.
Some lexicographers claim that no synonyms have exactly the same meaning (in all contexts or social levels of language) because etymology, orthography, phonic qualities, ambiguous meanings, usage, etc. make them unique. Different words that are similar in meaning usually differ for a reason: feline is more formal than cat; long and extended are only synonyms in one usage and not in others (for example, a long arm is not the same as an extended arm). Synonyms are also a source of euphemisms. Synonyms can be any part of speech (such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs or prepositions), as long as both words belong to the same part of speech.
English is very rich in synonyms. An elementary dictionary of synonyms which is not at all exhaustive, contains over 8000 synonyms. Various reasons account for that. Borrowings from various languages account for a great number of cases, for one thing.
And now we can proceed to definition: a synonym - is a word of similar or identical meaning to one or more words in the same language. All languages contain synonyms but in English they exist in superabundance. They're no two absolutely identical words because connotations, ways of usage, frequency of an occurrence are different. Senses of synonyms are identical in respect of central semantic trades but differ in respect of minor semantic trades.
Synonymy is a linguistic term that refers to lexical items that share the same, or similar, meanings. It falls within the domain of semantic study. The definitions given to synonymy by semanticists are similar in one way or another.
In OE there were already cases of thirty and more words to denote one and the same object (hero, sea, battle, etc). Old English poetry made use of a great number of synonyms used to make the description more vivid and flowery, e. g. battle: cumbol - gehnsest.
In Modern English a great number of synonyms serve to differentiate the meanings of words, their colloquial or bookish character. Most of bookish synonyms are of foreign origin, while popular and colloquial words are mostly native. Many native synonyms were either restricted in meaning or ousted altogether by foreign terms.
The existence of numerous groups of native and foreign synonyms is one of the characteristic features of English.
It is a matter of common observation that in every group of native and borrowed synonyms the native word is generally more emotional, warm, popular while the French word is often more formal, more polite, less emotional. Synonyms Germanic in origin are mostly concrete in their meaning while Romanic synonyms have generally abstract and transferred meanings.
In a study of synonyms, two major types, strict and loose synonyms, are worth being discussed. Synonyms are normally divided into two main types: strict (absolute) and loose synonyms. As for strict synonymy, two words are considered strict synonyms if they can be used interchangeably in all of their possible contexts of use. Furthermore, the substitution of one word for the other must not result in a change in meaning, style, and connotation of what is being said or written. In this case, it is the speaker’s or writer’s choice to use one or the other since either can fit in the same context.
Still, according to the above definition, such strict synonyms are extremely rare or not existent. As a matter of fact, strict synonymy is considered uneconomical since it leads to unnecessary redundancy in a language.
Normally if a language begins to have a word which can fully replace another in every context of use, one of them tends to somehow change its meaning or become out of use. For example, according to Fromkin, Rodman, and Hyams², in the history of English, the Old English word frumsceaft was widely used. Then with the flood of French words in the late 14^th century, the word creation was borrowed and it was used alongside with frumsceaft . Later on, creation took over frumsceaft completely in all contexts, making frumsceaft become obsolete. Such phenomenon is claimed to prevent the occurrences of strict synonyms in English.³
With regard to loose synonyms, they are the most commonly found in a language. When linguists talk about synonyms, they generally refer to varying degrees of loose synonymy, “where we identify not only a significant overlap in meaning between two words, but аlso some contexts at least where they cannot substitute for each other".
Clear examples of loose synonyms in English are the words mad and insane, both of which generally mean mentally ill. They are interchangeable in such a context as The team of psychiatrists found out that he is mad/insane. However, when mad means angry as in Lisa is very mad at Tim now., the word insane cannot be used in this context without a change in meaning, as in *Lisa is very insane at Tim now. Additionally, the use of insane here also violates the grammatical patterns since the combination insane at are not likely to occur in native speakers speech.
The above examples indicate that synonyms can be interchangeably used where their meanings overlap, but where a meaning is beyond the shared area, one cannot substitute for the other.⁴
In conclusion, it has shown that most synonyms in English are loose ones. They are not interchangeable in every context of use. Their differences lie in many factors, viz. different denotative meanings, dialects, formality of the context, connotations, grammatical patterns, and collocations.

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