Synonyms (from the Greek synonymos - same name) - words belonging to the same part of speech, close or identical in meaning, but sounding differently, for example: moment - moment (nouns); scold - scold (verbs); huge - huge (adjectives); in vain - in vain (adverbs); near - near (prepositions).
In modern Russian, the following groups of synonyms are distinguished:
- semantic (ideographic) synonyms that differ in a shade of meaning: youth - youth (youth - the first stage of youth); red - scarlet - crimson (the general meaning of these words is the same, but red is the color of blood, scarlet is lighter, crimson is darker);
- stylistic synonyms that have a different scope of use or different stylistic coloring, but denote the same phenomenon of reality: forehead (neutral) - forehead (sublimely poetic); excerpt (neutral) - fragment (book); cut off (neutral) - chop off, chop off (colloquial);
- semantic-stylistic synonyms that differ in lexical meanings and stylistic coloring: angry (neutral) - angry (colloquial, i.e. get angry to a large extent) - rage (colloquial, i.e. get angry to a very strong degree) - get angry (colloquial , i.e. slightly angry).
It is necessary to distinguish contextual synonyms from general language synonyms (sometimes they are called individual author's). Contextual synonyms are words whose meaning converges only in a certain context, and outside this context they are not synonyms. Contextual synonyms, as a rule, are expressively colored, since their main task is not to name the phenomenon, but to characterize it. For example, the verb to speak (to say) is very rich in contextual synonyms: Marya Kirillovna poured out about loved ones, he was silent (V. Shishkov); Nobody believed my grandfather. Even angry old women mumbled that devils never had beaks (K. Paustovsky).
Synonymous words can form a synonymous series, i.e., a union of words that are close in meaning; At the same time, in the synonymic series there is always the main, pivotal word, which has a common meaning, is neutral in stylistic coloring and is included in the commonly used layer of vocabulary. The core word always stands at the beginning of the synonymic row and is called the dominant (from Latin dominans - dominant). Gakov, for example, is the verb to fall among the words synonymous with it: fall, fall, thump, slap, rattle, crash, slam, fly, thump, rattle, etc. Synonyms are also associated with the phenomenon of ambiguity: a polysemantic word can be included in different synonymic rows. Synonyms help to show the difference in shades of the meaning of a polysemantic word: fresh - fresh fish (unspoiled), fresh bread (soft), fresh newspaper (today's), fresh linen (clean), fresh wind (cool), fresh person (new).
Synonyms arise as a result of various processes occurring in the language. The main ones are:
- “splitting” of one lexical meaning of a word into two or more, i.e., the transformation of an unambiguous word into a new, polysemantic word. At the same time, the developed new meanings can be synonymized with the meanings of other words that exist in the given language. So, in the post-revolutionary period, the word layer, in addition to its direct meaning ‘a thin layer, a strip between layers of something’ (a layer of cream in a cake), developed a figurative meaning – ‘a public group, part of society, organization’. In this new meaning, the word interlayer entered into synonymous relations with the words group, layer;
- discrepancy between different meanings of the same word, leading to the loss of a semantic connection between them. As a result, each of the homonyms that arise in this way has its own synonymous rows. Thus, the adjective dashing, which already had several meanings in the Old Russian language, gradually began to denote two completely different qualities: a) ‘bad, difficult, dangerous’ (dashing time); b) ‘brave, selfless’ (dashing cavalryman). The homonyms dashing (1) and dashing (2) that arose in this way are included in different synonymic series: dashing (1) - evil, heavy; dashing (2) - bold, daring, valiant;
- borrowing foreign words that are close in meaning to the original words of the Russian language, as a result of which synonymous series and pairs of words may arise: region - sphere; universal - global; preliminary - preventive; prevail ~ prevail;
- the appearance of synonymic pairs as a result of word-formation processes that are constantly taking place in the language: digging - digging; piloting - aerobatics; timing - timing; faceting - faceting; equipment - equipment.
More on SYNONYMS AND THEIR TYPES:
- Synonyms, types of synonyms. Communicative and stylistic role of synonyms. Causes of errors in the use of synonyms. Synonym dictionaries.
The central links of the lexico-semantic paradigm of the language are synonymic series.
D.E. Rosenthal gives the definition of synonyms given by D.I. Fonvizin: “A synonym in the full sense should be considered such a word that is defined in relation to its equivalent (to another word with an identical or extremely close meaning) and can be opposed to it along any line: by a subtle shade in meaning, by expressed expression , by emotional coloring, by stylistic affiliation, by compatibility ... ”I.B. Golub believes that the most important condition for the synonymy of words is their semantic proximity and, in special cases, their identity. Depending on the degree of proximity, the synonymy of words can be manifested to a greater or lesser extent. For example, the synonymy of the words hurry - hurry is more clearly expressed than, say, the words laugh - laugh - flood - roll - roll - giggle - snort - squirt, which have significant semantic and stylistic differences. The most pronounced character is synonymous with the semantic identity of words (cf .: here - here, linguistics - linguistics).
There are semantic, stylistic, semantic-stylistic synonyms. Semantic synonyms differ in shades of meanings (youth - youth). Stylistic synonyms with the same meaning differ in stylistic coloring. Among them, there are: synonyms related to different functional styles (international living - official business living); synonyms belonging to the same style, but having different emotional and expressive shades (colloquial sensible - with a positive coloring, brainy, big-headed - with a tinge of rude familiarity). Semantic-stylistic synonyms differ both in meaning and in their stylistic coloring (wander, wander, stagger, wander).
Often, one neutral dominant corresponds to two stylistic series: with an increase and with a decrease in style.
The source of synonyms of “sublime” coloring is book vocabulary, often Old Slavic words, words of foreign origin. The reduced stylistic range is based on jargon, professionalism, colloquial and dialectal words.
There are two functions of synonyms: ideographic and stylistic. Ideographic synonyms differ in shades of meaning, stylistic ones - in the sphere of use (belonging to different styles of speech) and expressive coloring (expressive shades against the background of the neutral main word of the synonymic series).
D.E. Rosenthal cites positions in which the stylistic function of synonyms is expressed in different ways:
- 1) from the point of view of using a language in a particular style (common (neutr.) squander - bookish squander - colloquial squander);
- 2) from the point of view of belonging to a certain group of vocabulary that is outside the literary language (talk - dial. talk; face - simple mug);
- 3) from the point of view of the attitude to the modern language (actor - obsolete actor; together - obsolete together);
- 4) from an expressive-emotional point of view (a pupil of a bursa is a contemptuous bursak; punishment is a high retribution).
Synonyms perform the function of clarification in speech (It so happened that the unsociable, even unsociable artist turned out to be with the Nevredimovs. - S.-Shch); clarifications (Anarchy began, that is, anarchy. - S.-SH.); comparisons (Invite the doctor, and call the paramedic. - I.); oppositions (He, in fact, did not walk, but dragged along without lifting his feet from the ground. - K.); substitutions - in order to avoid the repetition of words (lives - lives; started - spoke - continued - picked up). Researchers also single out an expressive-stylistic function, which is associated with the implementation of the category of evaluation (The old mistress ... tells me: “Wait, bookworm, the zenki will burst” - M.G.).
To enhance the emotionality and expressiveness of speech, the technique of stringing synonyms and gradation is used (He was a kind and sympathetic person, fearless and decisive. - Quiet.).
Antonyms are words that are opposite in meaning (good - evil, sit - stand, life - death). By structure, heterogeneous and single-root antonyms are distinguished (good - bad, beautiful - ugly). Antonyms are actively used as a means of expressiveness in artistic speech.
The main stylistic function of antonyms is to be a lexical means of expressing antithesis.
The stylistic device of antithesis was widespread even in oral folk art (learning is light, and ignorance is darkness).
As for works of art, the antithesis is more common in poetic texts (Long live the sun! Let the darkness hide! - A. Pushkin. And we hate, and we love by accident ... - M. Lermontov). Writers use antithesis when constructing the title of a work (“War and Peace”, “The Living and the Dead”, “Thick and Thin”). Publicists also actively use the technique of antithesis in the headings of articles.
Oxymoron is also based on antonymy. At the heart of an oxymoron is the creation of a new concept as a result of combining words that are opposite (contrasting) in semantics (the beginning of the end, a bad good person). More often, contrasting words are combined as definitive and defining (I love the lush nature of withering. - A. Pushkin; The time has come for omniscient ignoramuses. - V. Vysotsky).
In artistic speech, the technique of comic antithesis is used (There lived a poor private trader in the world. He was a rather rich man. - I. Ilf, E. Petrov); puns (Where is the beginning of the end with which the beginning ends? - K.P.); antiphrasis - the use of the word in the opposite sense (From where, clever, you wander, head. - I. Krylov).
A sharp satirical effect is created by the antonymic replacement of one of the components in stable phrases: “Bureau of malicious services”, “Debt by payment is black” (the titles of feuilletons).
- SYNONYMS
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(from the Greek. synonymos - the same name), words related to one part of speech, the meanings of which contain identical elements; the differing elements of these values... - SYNONYMS in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
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SYNONYMS (from the Greek syn?nymos - the same name), words that are different in sound, but identical or close in meaning, as well as syntactic. and … - SYNONYMS in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
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stylistic (Greek schema, Latin figura - outline, appearance; turn of speech), a system of historically established methods of syntactic organization of speech, used mainly ... - SHOW in the Architectural Dictionary:
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- POSTSTRUCTURALISM in Dictionary of Postmodernism.
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(from other Greek synaisthesis - co-sensation) A concept meaning a form of perception characterized by connections between feelings in the psyche, as well as the results of them ... - GRAFFITI in the Lexicon of non-classics, artistic and aesthetic culture of the XX century, Bychkov:
(graffiti - in archeology, any drawings or letters scratched on any surface, from Italian graffiare - to scratch) This is how works are designated ... - BAKHTIN in the Lexicon of non-classics, artistic and aesthetic culture of the XX century, Bychkov:
Mikhail Mikhailovich (1895-1975) Philosopher, generalist philologist, aesthetician, culturologist. The philosophical concept of B. was mainly expressed indirectly - on the material of private humanitarian ... - ECLECTICISM
- (from the Greek eklektikos - able to choose, choosing) a combination of heterogeneous artistic elements; usually takes place during periods of decline in art. Elements… - SCHOOL IN ART in the Dictionary of Fine Art Terms:
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- (from late Latin realis - real, real) in art, a truthful, objective reflection of reality by specific means inherent in a particular species ... - GRAPHIC ARTS in the Dictionary of Fine Art Terms:
- (from the Greek grapho - I write, I draw, I draw) a type of fine art, including drawing and printed works of art (engraving, lithography, monotype ... - UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI
(1798-1861) - artist. His real name is Igusa Yoshisaburo. Kuniyoshi was born in Edo in the family of a dyer. Since childhood, the boy was well versed ... - IKEBANA in Encyclopedia Japan from A to Z:
is the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging. Literally, ikebana means "flowers that live." In European art, arranging a bouquet demonstrates skill ... - GRABTSEV NIKOLSKY CHURCH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Grabtsevo, (Kaluga diocese) (inactive, being restored). … - ENZYME DEFICIENCY in the Medical Dictionary.
- ENZYME DEFICIENCY in the big medical dictionary.
- EMPHASA in the Dictionary of Literary Terms:
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TERMIN - Russian epic songs, preserved mainly in the mouths of the northern peasantry under the name "starin? n", "starin" and "starinok". The term epic ... - UZBEK SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLIC in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB.
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in literature and art, a stable integrity or commonality of a figurative system, means of artistic expression, figurative techniques that characterize a work of art or a set ... - STYLISTICS in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
a section of linguistics that studies the system of styles of a particular language, describes norms (see Linguistic Norm) and methods ... - NEOLOGISMS in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
(from neo... and Greek. logos - word), new words or expressions, the freshness and unusualness of which is clearly felt by native speakers of this language. … - FIGURES in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
STYLISTIC FIGURES (stylistic figures), special turns of speech fixed by stylistics, used to enhance the expressiveness (expressiveness) of an utterance (for example, anaphora, epiphora, simplock, ellipse, ... - STYLISTIC SYNTAX in the Dictionary of Linguistic Terms:
The doctrine of the use of syntactic constructions for stylistic purposes. This includes such issues as the synonymy of certain types of a simple sentence, stylistic functions ... - STYLISTICS in the Dictionary of Linguistic Terms:
1) A branch of linguistics that studies various styles (styles of language, styles of speech, genre styles, individual style of writers, etc., see style ... - DICTIONARY LINGUISTIC in the Dictionary of Linguistic Terms.
- KEEP in the Popular Explanatory-Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Russian Language:
-n "yu, -n" ish, nsv. ; save, sov. 1) (what) Keep something somewhere, keeping it from spoilage, damage, damage. Store milk ... - HEAVY
- SOLID in the Popular explanatory-encyclopedic dictionary of the Russian language.
Synonyms are divided into absolute (full) and relative (partial).
Absolute (full) synonyms are called lexical and phraseological units that have the same meaning, stylistic coloring. Absolute synonyms have neither semantic nor stylistic differences.
For example: abstract - abstract, spelling - spelling, linguistics - linguistics, bucks - greens - green. Such synonyms are most often completely interchangeable. .
For example, absolute PU-synonyms are PU when the crayfish whistles on the mountain, after the rain on Thursday. All these phraseological units have the meaning ‘it is not known when in an indefinite future, never’, a colloquial stylistic coloring.
As the language evolves, one of the variants may become obsolete while the other remains in active stock, for example: airplane - airplane‘(obsolete) aircraft heavier than air with a power plant and a wing that creates lift’ . Sometimes the options start to diverge in meaning, for example: lover 1. ‘a man in relation to a woman who is in an extramarital relationship with him’, 2. obsolete man in love - in love 1. ‘a person experiencing a feeling of love, attraction to someone.’
Relative (partial) synonyms (quasi-synonyms) such lexical and phraseological units are called that have semantic and stylistic differences.
There are three types of relative synonyms:
semantic (ideographic) synonyms differ in shades of meaning. For example: Key - spring: key‘source where the water flows with pressure’, spring‘water seeps in’. Phraseologisms differ in shades of meanings: on knives(colloquial) ‘in sharply hostile relations’ and like a cat with a dog(colloquial) ‘in constant quarrel, enmity’.
Semantic synonyms can
1) differ in shades of meaning in the characteristic of a sign, action. For example, synonyms flare up, flare up, flare up, flare up. All these verbs are used to indicate the initial moment of combustion. catch fire‘start burning’ , get busy use mainly in those cases when the burning starts very intensely, when the flame covers an object, structure, etc.’ , flare up indicates the speed at which the flame appears , blaze‘immediately catch fire with a strong fire’
2) differ in the degree of manifestation of a feature or action.
For example, synonyms run away and rush in the following example: The clouds ran through our village... So they flew to the pine forest, crossed the ravine and rushed on(V. Kozlov). It is clear that the verb rush compared to its synonymous verb run away indicates a greater intensity of action, a greater speed of movement. Therefore, we can say that the verbs used in the text run away and rush allowed the author to clarify the nature of the action, to emphasize the intensity of its manifestation. There are many such examples among synonyms: (bonfire) burned- (bonfire) glowing, fast(step) - impetuous(step), fear, fear, horror, confusion, hot(air) - sultry(air), etc.
Sometimes phraseological synonyms differ in the degree of intensity of action. For example: pour tears, burst into tears, drown in tears, cry out one's eyes- each subsequent synonym conveys a stronger manifestation of the action.
Semantic synonyms can also have a different scope of meaning. For example, among the synonyms bend - curve the word is broad in meaning bend‘rounded corner’: river bend, road bend, branch bend, arm bend etc. Word bend used only when talking about the bends of the river, for example: Lena flows in bends(I.A. Goncharov).
stylistic synonyms differ in their stylistic affiliation, i.e. used in different functional styles of speech. For example, synonyms eyes - eyes, beauty - beauty differ from each other only in a stylistic sense: the first words are stylistically neutral, the second ones are bookish. In the synonymy run away - run away the first word is stylistically neutral, the last word is colloquial.
For example, phraseological units get into the skin and put oneself in one's place have the same meaning ‘to imagine oneself in the position of someone’, but at the same time they differ in stylistic coloring: phraseologism get into the skin has a colloquial stylistic coloring, and phraseological unit put oneself in one's place does not have a stylistic coloring, is neutral.
The differences between the shades of bookishness and colloquialism in synonymous words become obvious if you use a bookish word in a colloquial style or a colloquial word in a bookish one.
semantic-stylistic synonyms differ in shades in meaning and stylistic affiliation. For example, synonymous adjectives interesting and amusing differ in shades of meaning: the word interesting used in the sense of ‘exciting attention with something significant’, and amusing– ‘exciting only external interest’. Besides, interesting- the word is stylistically neutral, and amusing- colloquial. ( Anddti - drag, cough - thump, breathe).
For example, phraseological units dense forest(colloquial) ‘complete obscurity, obscurity. About something unfamiliar or incomprehensible’, gibberish(simple) ‘something incomprehensible, difficult to understand’, sealed book(bookish) ‘something completely incomprehensible, inaccessible to understanding’.
It must be said that synonyms relatively rarely appear in their “pure form”, in one strictly defined role: most often, various “roles” are combined in their use.
According to A.P. Evgenyeva, it is impossible to draw a line between stylistic and “ideographic” synonyms, “enrolling some as stylistic, and others only as ideographic. The main, overwhelming mass of synonyms serves both stylistic and semantic (shading, clarifying) purposes, often performing both functions at the same time. For example, words drag, weave(colloquial) , trudge(colloquial) , stretch(colloquial) , crawl(colloquial) differ from each other and shades in the characteristics of the action, expressiveness and stylistic function.
By structure lexical synonyms are divided into
single root (deaf‘not sonorous, not sharp, the word is used. advantage In relation to low sounds, regardless of their duration, muted‘weakened by something (distance, obstacle)’) and heteroroot.
Phraseological synonyms by structure divided into single-structured and multi-structured.
Single structure PhU synonyms have the same construction model. For example, phraseological units: in two counts - in one step, at least climb into the noose - at least lie down in the coffin, hurt the living - grab the heart.
Diversified phraseological synonyms are built according to different models. For example: grandmother said in two - it’s written with a pitchfork on the water, for no reason at all - you live great.
Between these two clearly distinguished structural types of PU-synonyms, one-structured and different-structured, there are the so-called similar structural phraseological units. Similar structural phraseological units have the same basic component, expressed by a certain part of speech (verb, noun, etc.), and all other components differ in form. For example, send to the next world, send to another world, send to the forefathers, put in place, knock out the soul -‘kill, kill’.
Synonyms are divided into occasional and general language.
Common language (usual) synonyms synonyms are called, which are characterized by relative independence from the context, sufficient frequency of use. Such synonyms are reflected in modern dictionaries and, as a rule, lend themselves to literal translation into another language (if they do not denote special, nationally limited concepts, phenomena, realities, etc.). For example, cheerful - joyful.
occasional (usual, contextual speech, contextual, situational, individual, author's ) synonyms such words-synonyms are called, which, taken separately, are not synonyms, but, lined up in a row by the speaker in a certain context, seem to converge in a common sense, tk. become expressions of the author's intention.
For example, " They are tired ofdual power , polyarchy , to be more precise -anarchy "(Ros. newspaper. 1994). Dual power and multiple power are equated to anarchy only in this context.
Contextual synonyms approach their meanings only in context.
Distinctive features of such synonyms are clearly expressed contextual conditionality and fixation, a single (usually individual) nature of semantics (and often word formation), irreproducibility, i.e. a clear limitation of use, absence in dictionaries and the difficulty of literal translation into another language.
internal when phraseological units enter into synonymous relations only with phraseological units. For example, darkness, darkness, do not count the numbers, even a dime a dozen thatthe sand of the sea, like uncut dogs.
Phraseological synonyms can be external when phraseological units enter into synonymous relations with words. External phraseological synonyms form mixed synonymous rows. For example, thin, skinny, skin and bones, like a pole; make a fool of, leave with a nose, wrap around your finger, plumbyou eyes(to whom), rub glasses(to whom), take on the gun, deceive, foolcheat, deceive, deceive, deceive, deceive, mystify).
Stylistically neutral synonym - what is it? You will find the answer to the question posed in the materials of this article.
General information about synonyms in Russian
Before talking about what a stylistically neutral synonym is, you should find out why such words are needed at all.
The term "synonym" came to Russian from Greek, synonymos in translation means "of the same name". That is, these are words that differ markedly in sound, but are identical or close in meaning. It should also be noted that most synonyms belong to the same part of speech, although they often differ in stylistic coloring.
Let's give an example: husband - spouse, look - look, happy - joyful, here - here, beautiful - beautiful, homeland - homeland and others.
Why are synonyms necessary?
We will talk a little further about how to replace a word with a stylistically neutral synonym. Now I want to tell you why they are needed in oral and written speech.
As you know, the Russian language is wide, diverse and beautiful. That is why, while writing any text, it is recommended to avoid repetitions, using substitute words for this, then Thus, their main function is to increase the expressiveness of writing and speech, as well as to avoid their monotony.
When using synonyms, they should not be confused with nominal definitions. After all, the latter are complete identity.
Synonym classification
Absolutely every synonym has its own peculiarity and a certain shade of meaning, which noticeably distinguishes it from other similar parts of speech. Let's give an example: crimson - crimson, red - scarlet and others.
It should be especially noted that, despite the fact that synonyms always point to the same concept and have exactly the same lexical meaning, they still differ from each other in expressive coloring, attachment to a certain style and frequency of use. Moreover, there are also such synonyms that simultaneously differ from each other both in expressive coloring and lexical meaning.
In Russian, synonyms are classified according to:
- Social assessment of any subject. For example, the synonyms "salary" and "salary" reflect a completely different attitude towards remuneration received for work.
- Designated items. For example, the synonyms “actor”, “buffoon”, “artist”, “comedian” and “actor” reflect different attitudes towards the profession of an actor and different periods in the development of the theater.
- Applicability in a certain style of speech. So, the synonyms "horse", "mare" and "horse" cannot always be used in the same text. Let's give an example: “A very proud horse is galloping” - “A very proud mare (horse) is galloping”. As you can see, the substitution of another, close in meaning, word gives the phrase a comical connotation. To prevent such cases, it is better to use a stylistically neutral synonym. We will talk about what it is below.
- etymological meaning. As a rule, it gives one of the synonyms a special color. For example, the traits "fearless" and "brave" connect the general concept of "lack of fear" (in the first case), as well as "courage", "determination" and "daring" (in the second). In this regard, these words can be used in the context as opposite in meaning, that is, as antonyms.
- The absence or presence of figurative values.
Stylistically neutral synonym
Now you know what synonyms are, why they are needed in the text. As mentioned above, such words are classified according to applicability in a particular style of speech. That is, even words that are very close in meaning cannot always be used in the same text. That is why in Russian there is such a thing as a stylistically neutral synonym. Under the named term understand the words that are used in absolutely all styles without exception. Moreover, they can be used not only in writing, but also in oral speech.
In order to make the presented definition more clear to you, we will give a concrete example. What stylistically neutral synonym can replace the word "muzzle"? As you know, he has quite a few different substitutes (for example, “face”, “muzzle”, “face”, “face” and others). However, as a neutral, which can be suitable for any style, there is only one - “face”.
Stylistically neutral words in the text
A stylistically neutral synonym is a word that is in no way attached to a certain bookish, colloquial style), against the background of which it is completely devoid of any stylistic coloring.
Here are some examples:
- The word "wander" is a neutral counterpart compared to the book "wander" and colloquial "wander", "stagger".
- "Future" is a neutral synonym compared to the book "future".
- The word "look" is compared with "look".
- The word "eyes" is compared to "eyes".
Stylistic affiliation
As you know, there are several styles in Russian:
- colloquial;
- artistic (book);
- journalistic;
- official business;
- scientific.
Each of these styles has its own characteristics, which are used both in writing and in oral speech. But in order to diversify the artistic, official business or any other text, when writing or pronouncing it, it is imperative to use substitute words. Of course, in a scientific or journalistic article it is not recommended to use, for example, such a word as "blurt out". It must be replaced with a stylistically neutral synonym if it is not possible to choose another, more suitable concept that would correspond to a single text. The same rule must be followed in other cases, when a word is not quite suitable for a particular letter or article.
So, let's consider a specific situation where it is necessary to eliminate the word "blurt out". A stylistically neutral synonym for this expression is “say”. By the way, when choosing substitute words, you should definitely pay attention to the meaning of the original in a particular context. For example, the word "blank" has several meanings:
- "to speak", "to say", "to speak out";
- "dirty something".
If for the first case we have chosen a suitable neutral-stylistic synonym ("will say"), then in the second it is just as easy to do. For example, if the text was about the fact that someone "blurts a blot on paper", then this expression can be replaced by the following: "drop a drop on paper."
Examples of stylistic affiliation
In order to consolidate knowledge of what a neutral stylistic synonym is, more time should be devoted to practical exercises. In our case, we will give several examples where in a particular text one should choose substitute words.
Art style
How to replace the word "impressed"? The following can serve as a stylistically neutral synonym for this expression: “sympathized”, “caused respect”, “liked”. Here are a few more examples:
- "cancel", "abolish" - "cancel";
- "progress" - "improvement";
- "enemy" - "enemy";
- "fragment" - "excerpt";
- “rest” - “sleep”.
Conversational style
Here are a few more examples:
- "sleep" - "sleep";
- "confusion" - "vanity";
- "force" - "important";
- "nag" - "horse";
- "eat" - "eat", "eat";
- "to beg" - "to beg";
- "to rip off" - "to rob";
- "roar" - "cry".
scientific style
It differs from the rest not only in that it has a logical sequence of presentation, but also in that it contains a huge number of specific terms, that is, phrases or words that denote the concepts of a special activity or any field of knowledge. In this regard, during the creation of such a text or the preparation of oral speech, it is very often necessary to use neutral synonyms. It should be especially noted that it is not always easy to find the right substitute words in a scientific article. After all, each term has its own special meaning, which is quite difficult to express in any other way. Although there are often concepts that have many neutral synonyms. Let's consider some of them:
If in a scientific article any narrowly focused term is in no way replaced by a neutral stylistic synonym, then it is better to use it in the form in which it is presented. Neglecting this advice, one can noticeably distort the meaning of the text, which in the end will easily mislead the reader, and also contribute to further errors in any practical activity.
Formal business style
This style is very often used during verbal communication at official receptions. It should also be noted that this area covers jurisprudence, international relations, economics, advertising, the military industry, government activities, communication in official institutions, and so on.
In order to competently deliver your speech during a public speech in any organization, it is extremely important to use the correct neutral stylistic synonyms in order to avoid tautologies.
Consider a few examples of how you can replace the terms and concepts that are actively used in the official business style:
- "administration" - "bosses";
- "contract" - "agreement", "document", "paper";
- "credit" - "loan";
- "advance" - "prepayment";
- "diplomat" - "politician", "portfolio";
- "instance" - "copy" and others.
Journalistic style
This type of style is used in the following genres: essay, article, reports, interviews, feuilleton, oratory, pamphlet and others. It is characterized by the presence of logic, emotionality, appeal, evaluation, as well as socio-political vocabulary. Among other things, phraseological units, neutral concepts, solemn and high vocabulary, verbless phrases, emotionally colored words, rhetorical questions, short sentences, chopped prose, repetitions, exclamations, and so on are quite widely used in the journalistic style.
It should be especially noted that such linguistic and speech features are used in completely different topics, namely in politics, economics, education, healthcare, forensics, and military topics.
It is quite easy to find neutral synonyms for concepts that are actively used in a journalistic style. After all, the vocabulary in it has a pronounced expressive and emotional coloring. In addition, it often includes colloquial, slang and colloquial elements. Moreover, in this style, such terms are often used that are characteristic of the official business or scientific style. Although in journalism such vocabulary has a special function, which is to create a picture of events, and then convey the impressions of it to the reader or viewer.
So, here are a few examples of how you can choose neutral synonyms for words that are especially often used in a journalistic style:
- "the most incredible event" - "an interesting event";
- "citizen" - "resident";
- "state" - "country";
- "unprecedented thunderstorm" - "very strong thunderstorm";
- "natural disaster" - "catastrophe";
- "there is a problem" - "there is a problem" and others.
As mentioned above, it is characterized by emotionally colored expressions that in one way or another will impress the viewer, reader or listener. For example, for greater effect and impact on a person, the word “scary” (a stylistically neutral synonym) is often replaced by journalists with such forcing statements as “creepy”, “unknown”, “anxious”, “fearful”. Through the use of these words, correspondents can attract the attention of more viewers than the banal, unemotional and neutral counterparts that were presented above.
Summing up
As you can see, it is not difficult to find a neutral stylistic synonym for a specific word. It should also be noted that thanks to such expressions, you can easily compose literate texts and your oral speech, which will be pleasant to read or listen to.
