Types of synonyms. Types of connotations

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.

Classification:

Total synonyms

· an extremely rare occurence

· Ulman: “a luxury that language can hardly afford.”

· Ex.: бегемот – гиппопотам

Ideographic synonyms.

· They bear the same idea but not identical in their referential content.

· To happen – to occur – to befall – to chance

· Look – appearance – complexion – countenance

Dialectical synonyms.

· Ex.: lift – elevator

· Queue – line

· Autumn – fall

Contextual synonyms.

· Context can emphasize some certain semantic trades & suppress other semantic trades; words with different meaning can become synonyms in a certain context.

· Ex.: tasteless – dull

· Active – curious

· Curious – responsive

· Synonyms can reflect social conventions.

Stylistic synonyms.

· Belong to different styles.

Synonyms – two or more words belonging to the same part of speech and possessing one or more identical or nearly identical denotational meanings, interchangeable in some contexts. Their distinctive features can be connotations, stylistic features, distributional or depending on valency. The difference between some synonyms can be marked for register subject-field, mode, and style (tenor) or their combinations.

Connotation:

the ideas and feelings associated with the word

There are three types of connotations:

POSITIVE – a good thing

b. NEGATIVE – a bad thing

c. NEUTRAL- not good or bad; indifferent; used when you or the author don’t want to show strong emotions either way.