VII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2015

Depending on the degree of identity phraseological synonyms are divided into full and partial ones [2: 44]. Depending on their structure they are divided into phraseological synonyms of the same, of different and of similar structure. We maintain A.V. Kunin’s conception on phraseological synonymity [1: 127] and classify phraselogical synonyms under study into the following three types:

Type I. Ideographic synonyms have the same meaning but differ in connotation, e.g.: a) give somebody the cold shivers – frighten somebody, make somebody feel creepy all over; give somebody the jim-jams – frighten, make somebody tremble with fear; b) give somebody (smth) a green light – let somebody know that he is allowed to do as he wants; give somebody plenty of rope – let somebody do what he wants in order to compromise him; give somebody line enough – let somebody do what he wants temporarily; etc.

Type II. Phraseological units belonging to stylistic synonyms differ in stylistic use. Few examples of such type of synonyms can be found out among the given phraseological units: a) give somebody the slip,give the leg-bail(coll.) – pass secretly, unnoticed; b) give somebody a back-cap(Amer. sl.),give the show away(coll.), give somebody the lie, – show that smth is not true.

Type III. Phraseological synonyms, which differ in colouring of meanings and in stylistic use, are referred to stylistic-ideographic synonyms. The phraseological units under study have many examples of stylistic-ideographic synonyms: give somebody a good dressing-down(coll.),give somebody the rough side of one’s tongue,give somebody down the banks(Amer. coll.), give somebody beans(sl.) – abuse, lecture somebody; give somebody a bit of one’s mind – abuse, reproach somebody. These phraseological units obviously refer to different styles and each of them has its own coloring in meaning, which is proved by their contextual use.

Obviously, one of those factors confirming the systematic character of phraseology is that phraseological synonyms are able to form a synonymic family, a synonymic row and a synonymic group. A synonymic family consists of phraseological synonyms with one or more identical components but without synonymic ones. This phenomenon can be illustrated by the following examples of phraseological units with the given component: give somebody the frozen mitt, give somebody the freeze, give somebody the bird, give somebody the key of the street, give to the dogs, etc.

Phraseological synonyms which have synonymic or non-synonymic components form a synonymic chain, for example: give the leg-bail – give somebody the slip; give somebody the jumps – give somebody the bellyache – give somebody the willies – give somebody the pain in the neck; give somebody the jim-jams – give somebody the cold shivers – give somebody a turn. The words leg-bail and slip, jumps and willies, jim-jams and shivers are synonymous.

Phraseological synonyms having neither identical nor synonymic components form a synonymic group. No synonymic group has been found out among the given phraseological units as they all have an identical component give.

The problem of synonymy is one of the urgent problems of modern phraseology as similarity of phraseological meanings characterizes phraseology as a system. Synonymity is one of the indices of the development of paradigmatic relations within English phraseology.

References

1. Кунин А.В. Курс фразеологии современного английского языка. – Москва: Высшая школа, Дубна: Изд. центр «Феникс», 1996.

2. Федуленкова Т.Н. Синонимия в пословицах // Романо-германские лингвистические исследования и методика преподавания иностранных языков. – Томск: Томск. гос. пед. ун-т, 1997. – Ч. 2. – С. 44-46.

Код для цитирования: Скопировать