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A Study of Synonyms by Analyzing the meanings of the verb tell in
Articles
Supervisor:
By
Outline
Introduction
Literature Review
Analysis
Findings and Discussion
Recommendations
Conclusion
Introduction
Rationale Objectives Scope of the study
Rationale
Prosecutionattorney
Solicitor Lawyer
Objectives
- Provide an overview of synonymy- Analyze the interchangeability of synonyms
Scope of the study
- Oxford Learner’s Advanced Dictionary
- The verb to tell
- Some 60 articles
Literature review
Definition of synonyms
Criteria of synonymy
Types of connotations
Dominant synonym
Definition of synonyms
Same language Same part of speech Identical or nearly identical denotational
meaning Interchangeable at least in some contexts
(Arnold, 1986)
Definition of synonyms
Differ inMorphemic compositionPhonemic shapeShades of meaningConnotationAffective value, style, valency and idiomatic
use(Arnold, 1986)
Criteria of synonymy
The notional criterion
The semantic criterion
The criterion of interchangeability
(Anstrushina et al., 1985)
Sematic criterion
Have the same denotation Differ in connotations Denotation ConnotationsTo repeat to tell sb about sth that you have
heard or been told by somebody else
To inform
to tell sb about sth, often in a formal or official way
To notify
to tell sb about a fact or situation formally or officially
To fill sb in
to tell sb about sth that has happened
The criterion of interchangeability
Synonyms are interchangeable in at least some contexts
E.g. to inform and to notify
There are synonyms that cannot be interchangedE.g. to repeat ≠ to inform ≠ to fill sb in
Denotation ConnotationsTo repeat to tell sb about sth that you have
heard or been told by somebody else
To inform
to tell sb about sth, often in a formal or official way
To notify
to tell sb about a fact or situation formally or officially
To fill sb in to tell sb about sth that has happened
Types of connotations
Connotation of degree or intensity
• E.g. to instruct - to order - to command - to direct
Evaluative connotation
• E.g. to blab - to betray - to grass - to inform on sb - to blow the whistle on sb
Connotation of manner
• E.g. to notify - to inform - to brief
Types of connotations
Connotation of attendant features
• E.g. to report - to fill sb in - to convey - to relay - to communicate - to repeat - to break - to brief - to enlighten - to impart
Connotation of attendant
circumstances
• E.g. to differentiate - to distinguish
Stylistic connotations
• E.g. To blab (informal) - to betray (rather formal) - to grass (slang) - to turn King’s/ Queen’s evidence (BrE) - to turn State’s evidence (AmE)
Types of connotations
Emotive connotation
Connotation of duration
Causative connotation
Dominant synonym
A central word whose meaning is equal to the denotation common to all the synonymic group (Anstrushina et al., 1985)
Tell
report
inform
convey
repeat
enlighten
relay
Dominant synonym
Four main characteristic features:
High frequency of usage
Broad combinability
Broad general meaning
Lack of connotations
Analysis
Review Synonymic groups
DefinitionSynonymsOne example analysis
Review
8 denotations Synonyms Connotation Articles from online newspapers Analysis
Analysis
Review Synonymic groups
DefinitionSynonymsAnalyze one example
Denotation 1
Definition: (of a person) to give information to sb by speaking or writing
Synonyms: Report, inform, fill sb in, convey, communicate, relay, repeat, break, brief, notify, enlighten, impart, alert sb to sth
Connotation:Connotation of attendant featureConnotation of manner
Denotation 1
Report He said he was off-duty and driving
through Harrow, north west London, when he witnessed the disturbance and had only pulled up alongside a line of police to tell them what he had witnessed. (Wardrop, 2012)
Denotation 2
Definition: (of some writing, an instrument, a sign) to give information about sth
Synonyms: Inform, notify, brief, convey, impart, enlighten
Connotation:connotation of attendant featuresconnotation of manner
Denotation 2
Notify People are being told by email that
when they return from deployment they are going to have a year and then they are out. (McVeigh, 2011)
Denotation 3
Definition: Order or instruct (someone to do something)
Synonyms: Instruct, order, command, direct
Connotation: connotation of degree or intensity
Denotation 3
Order Although Mr Paisley, now Lord Bannside,
said in 2008 that he was not pressured to quit he has now claimed he was told to go. (Purdy, 2014 )
Denotation 4
Definition: Express in words Synonyms: Describe, recount, relate,
report, chronicle, narrate, weave, unfold, cover
Connotation:connotation of attendant features
Denotation 4
Cover The Hudson River plane crash is one of
the miracles of our time and we are delighted to be the first to tell the story on UK television (Holmwood, 2009)
Denotation 5
Definition: To know, judge or see sth correctly (not used in progressive tenses)
Denotation 6
Definition: distinguish one thing or person from another
Synonyms: Distinguish, differentiate Connotation:connotation of attendant circumstances
Denotation 6
Differentiate Scientists found volunteers who were
previously unable to differentiate between two similar scents learnt to tell them apart when given electric shocks alongside just one of them. (Fleming, 2008)
Denotation 6
The current system, established 200 years ago by Oxford when there were small numbers of undergraduates, makes it difficult to differentiate between students, according to employers. Large numbers of students now come out of university with a 2.1. which fails to distinguish between someone who attained 60 per cent and another who achieved 69.9 per cent. (Hodges, 2013)
Denotation 7
(intransitive) have an effect on sb/sth
Denotation 8
Definition: (intransitive) (informal) to let sb know a secret
Synonyms: blab, betray, finger, grass, inform on sb, turn King’s/ Queen’s evidence (BrE), turn State’s evidence (AmE), blow the whistle on sb, stab sb in the back
Connotations: evaluative connotation stylistic connotation connotation of attendant features
Denotation 8
Blab If I let you into a secret, do you promise
you won't tell anyone? (Freeman, 1999)
Findings + Discussion
Not all synonyms are equally interchangeableturn King’s/ Queen’s evidence (BrE), turn State’s evidence (AmE) grass, unfold, chronicle Words similar in denotation and connotation
are highly likely interchangeableDistinguish, differentiate, tell
Findings + Discussion
Not all synonyms are equally interchangeableturn King’s/ Queen’s evidence (BrE), turn State’s evidence (AmE) grass, unfold, chronicle Words similar in denotation and connotation
are highly likely interchangeableE.g: Distinguish, differentiate, tell
Findings + Discussion
Dominant synonym and synonyms in a synonymic group: interchangeability
He had us in stitches – he was a wonderful raconteur – as he recounted how he and his fellow choristers had gone to the vicar, who had initially refused their demand of more than one shilling for weddings.
(Montgomery, 2014)
Recommendations
Translation and interpretationI told it to my sister, Lisa and she in turn told it to my sister Maggie.
(Henderson B., 2012) Using the English – English dictionaries +
Thesaurus
Recommendations
In translation and interpretationI told it to my sister, Lisa and she in turn told it to my sister Maggie.
(Henderson B., 2012) Using the English – English dictionaries +
Thesaurus
Conclusion
Overview of synonymy Denotations and connotations of the verb
“tell” and its synonyms analysis Findings Recommendations Limitations
References
Anstrushina, G.B., Afanasyeva, O.V. & Morozova, N.N. (1985). English Lexicology. Moscow, Russia: Pedagogiccal Institute of Ekaterinburg. Arnold, I.V. (1986). The English Word (3rd ed.). Moscow, Russia: Vyssaja Skola. Ginzburg, R.S., Khidekel, S.S., Knyazeva, G.Y. & Sankin, A.A. (1979). A Course in Modern English Lexicology (2nd ed.). Moscow, Russia: Vyssaja Skola. Greenbaum, S. (1996). The Oxford English Grammar. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Stockwell, R., & Minkova, D. (2001). English Words: History and Structure. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
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