The Distinction Between English Synonyms

段佳

【Abstract】A large number of new words and terms flock in the English vocabulary and English has a variety of expressive methods making it possible to express the same meaning by different words. Therefore English synonyms are so abundant that it is possible to describe the colorful world and to express the complicated, delicate human thought and emotions. But they bring people many problems such as the correct choice of words from synonyms. The reason for this problem is the insufficient knowledge of the distinction of English synonyms, which have differences in many aspects. This paper offers three main aspects in distinguishing English synonyms that include words meaning, coloring and usage.

【Key words】synonyms；distinguishing；words meaning；color；usage

1 Differences in meaning

1.1 Dimension

English synonyms usually have the same literal meaning but a few semantic differences. A conspicuous character of English synonym groups is that in a group of synonyms there is often one word containing a large dimension of meaning and used in common, while the others only have an aspect of meaning of the word and are often used on a certain occasion with various special semantic meanings.

1.2 Emphasis

A word contains denotative and connotative meanings. Synonyms usually have the same denotative meaning but different connotative meanings that are shown by their emphases. English synonyms are abundant for its wide-ranging origin. However, each word in each group of synonyms has changed obviously towards different directions in the semantic distribution in the long course of development of the English language and has different emphasis under its basic meaning.

1.3 Weight

In every English synonymous group, each word carries different “weight” in meaning. “In degree of a given quality or in shade of meaning, some synonyms have the same denotative sense with differences in degree of intensity”For example, the group “cold, cool, chilly, frigid, frosty, icy” has the same basic meaning when they refer to temperature. However, “cool” means fairly cold; not hot or warm and as not as strong as “cold” to some extent. “Chilly” is just between “cool” and “cold”; “frigid” and “frosty” both mean very cold just under the freezing point, but the former is more serious than the latter in the extent of coldness; “icy” means the temperature reaches the freezing point which is as cold as ice.

2 Differences in coloring

2.1 Emotion

Some synonyms refer to the same thing but reflect peoples different emotional, often with one word neutral, one word carrying positive, affirmative and favorable color while another one carrying negative, derogatory and hateful color. For example, in the group “crowd, gathering, assembly, mob”, the word “crowd” is a neutral word; “gathering and assembly” have commendatory color while “mob” is of pejorative color. In the group “friend, comrade, crony”, “friend” is neutral; “comrade” contains favorable color, while “crony” reflects peoples derogatory attitude. When we talk about somebody who is too light in weight, we may say “underweight” which is of balanced emotive color, or we may say, “slim” showing our favorable attitude or “skinny” showing our negative attitude.

2.2 Formality

Words in a group of synonyms always can be distinguished from the extent of their formality that is a stylistic color though they refer to the same thing. Some word is suitable to be used on a common occasion, and some word is a little bit formal while the others are informal. “The degrees of formality are determined by the role, relationships, number of hearers, and contexts of situation… The formal English is found in official documents, regulations, and business letters of ceremonial speeches. Informal English is found typically in private conversations or personal letters. It is also used nowadays in advertisements and popular newspapers”. The synonyms should be used according to the styles of different articles.In the group “criticize, upbraid, knock”, “criticize” is a common word; “upbraid” is formal and often used in written English; “knock” belongs to informal style.

2.3 Dialect

English synonyms have differences in another kind of stylistic color that is dialect, which means that people from different regions use different words to express the same meaning. In other words “same concept or reference, different word”. British English and American English have the most obvious dialectal differences because each possesses large vocabulary of conventionally special usage, which is well-known to all British people and Americans.

For example, “shop” in British English is equivalent to goods or services sold to the public. However, “shop” means a specialized small store in American English, such as barbershop and shoe-repair shop.

3 Differences in usage

3.1 Grammatical Features

Grammatical features of words play an important role in distinguishing English synonyms. Their grammatical features in usage mainly reflect some differences of synonyms. For example, “Bare” and “naked” both contain the meaning “without clothing”, but the latter can be used as attributive and predicative; the former can only be used as predicative. It is right to say: “The man is bare or naked”, but wrong to say: “a bare man”. In the group “answer, reply, respond,” “answer” and “reply” are both transitive and intransitive verbs, while “respond” can only be used as an intransitive verb.

3.2 Object

English vocabulary is large and the distribution of words meaning is comparatively definite and clear. Although some synonyms have the same meaning, coloring and grammatical feature, they are usually used for different objects, which mean things or people to which thought, feelings or actions are directed. Limited by different objects, the synonyms should be chosen carefully in different contexts. For example, in the group “beautiful, handsome, pretty, “beautiful” is always used for female, but when used for children, it can be used to describe both girls and boys. “Pretty” is not as strong as “beautiful” in meaning and is also only used for female or children; whereas “handsome” is mainly for the male. When “handsome” describes a female person, it only means that she is elegant.ide; insincere; false; or sunken.

3.3 Collocation

Collocation means “the word or group of words with which a synonym is used correctly.”or “occurrence or sets of words tend to turn up together in texts.” English language has many fixed collocation or set phrases and in theses collocations, especially common usages and idioms, the synonyms are not changeable. Limited by the collocations, the synonyms have different usages in different contexts. In the group “dismiss, discontinue, ban, revoke”, each word has its own collocation.

Conclusion：

None of these different ways of distinguishing English synonyms are independent. Each word in each group of synonyms should be distinguished in various aspects for each word contains multidimensional nature in meaning, coloring and usage. We should connect these different aspects together systematically, and then we can understand and distinguish the synonyms clearly and use them appropriately.