2
§ 2. Synonyms
Textbook: pp. 6–7
GoalFind synonyms, see how they differ in shades of meaning and style, and replace repetition with synonyms in speech.
New words
синоним (synonym) · синоним (ma’nodosh so‘z)синонимический ряд (synonymic row) · синонимический ряд (sinonimik qator)оттенок значения (shade of meaning) · оттенок значения (ma’no ottenkasi)стилистическая окраска (stylistic colouring) · стилистическая окраска (uslubiy bo‘yoq)
Explanation
Synonyms are words that differ in sound and spelling but are close in meaning. Fully identical synonyms are rare: «орфография – правописание». More often synonyms differ in shade of meaning: in the row «смелый – храбрый – отважный» the word «отважный» gives the strongest praise. Some synonyms also differ in style: «глаза» is neutral, while «очи» is poetic and old-fashioned. A group of closely related words is a synonymic row; its dominant word is usually the most neutral one. Synonyms enrich speech and save us from repeating the same word again and again.
Worked examples
A synonymic row: «идти – шагать – брести – топать». The dominant word is «идти» (neutral); the others describe the manner of walking.
Shade: «Он был сильно утомлён» and «Он был измотан» — the second shows stronger tiredness and a colloquial tone.
Class activity
“Synonym chain”. Students take turns naming a word; the next student must give its synonym. Whoever cannot is out.
Practice
1
Find a synonym for «помощь».
поддержка
2
Arrange in order of increasing intensity: «холодно, морозно, прохладно».
прохладно – холодно – морозно
3
Replace the repetition: «Старый дом был очень старый, а двор старый и тёмный».
Старый дом был очень ветхим, а двор – запущенным и тёмным.
4
Why can «глаза» and «очи» not always replace each other?
«Очи» is poetic and old-fashioned. In everyday speech («У меня болят очи») it sounds odd, but in a poem it fits.