英语专业词汇学Antonyms

Antonymy反义关系

6.4 Antonymy

The definition of antonymy

Antonymy is concerned with semantic opposition.

Antonyms : words which are opposite in meaning.

6.4 Antonymy

Types of antonyms

Antonyms may be classified on the basis of semantic contrast and of morphological structure.

on the basis of morphological structure.

1). Root antonyms 词根反义词 2). Derivational antonyms 派生反义词

happy sad unhappy

polite productive rude destructive impolite unproductive

Existence,possible, loyal, prewar, code, harmful

6.4 Antonymy Types of antonyms Antonyms

may be classified on the basis of semantic contrast and of morphological structure.

on the basis of semantic contrast Complementaries

互补反义词 Contraries 相对反义词 Conversives 逆反反义词

6.4 Antonymy

Contraries(相对反义词/两极反义词)

Gradable antonyms/opposites Antonyms of this type are best viewed in terms of a scale running between two poles or extremes.

big---small

rich---poor

love---hate

Features:1. gradable adjectives; -er, -est; adv.

The existence of one is in relation to the other. –gradation of wealth , rich, richer, richest , very/extremely richlove attachment liking indifference antipathy hate Big medium small Old middle-age young rich well-to-do, well off, moderately wealthy, comfortable off, hard up poor

2. There are intermediate terms between two opposites

3. expressed by gradable a. n. v. adv. …

6.4 Antonymy

Complementaries(绝对反义词/互补反义词)binary antonyms, contradictories, either/or contrast Represent a type of binary semantic opposition dead-alive, present-absent, male-female, true-false, single---married

Features:

1. absolute contrast; mutually exclusive

The denial of one means the acceptation/assertion of the other or vice versa.

2. nongradable No comparative degree, not modified by adverbs 3. no intermediate terms

6.4 Antonymy

Converses(换位反义词/关系反义词)

relational opposites exhibit the reversal of a relationship between items.

Social opposites:

Husband-wife, employer-employee, debtor-creditor Above-below, in front of-behind, right-left Buy-sell, give-receive, go-come, gain-lose If A lends $10 to B, then B borrow $10 from A.

Spatial opposites:

Reciprocal opposites:

Interdependence of meaning; one member of the pair presupposes the other member.

The characteristics of contrary terms include : A non-gradable B mutually exclusive C semantic relativity D relational E gradable F reversal relationship G semantic polarity

The characteristics of contradictory terms include: A non-gradable B mutually exclusive C semantic relativity D relational E gradable F reversal

relationship G semantic polarity

The characteristics of relative terms include: A non-gradable B mutually exclusive C semantic relativity D relational E gradable F reversal relationship G semantic polarity

6.4.2. Features of Antonyms

1). Marked and unmarked members 有标记项与无标记项 antonyms differ in semantic inclusionUnmarkedCommon quality Larger terms

MarkedHaving particular implication

man author

woman authoress lioness

lion

She is the greatest author of the age. She is the greatest authoress of the age.

Sense relations

6.4.2. features of Antonyms Adjectives like:

old---young tall---short big---small wide---narrow

heavy---light fast---slow thick---thin far---close/nearage height

"How old is the Zhao Wei?" He is taller than the girl.

Young How young is Liu Yifei? Wang Baoqiang is shorter than the girl.

short.Sense relations

6.4.2. features of Antonyms 2). Different antonyms under different

circumstances Fresh

bread------ stale bread Fresh air----stuffy air Fresh flowers----- faded flowers Fresh look---tired look

6.4.2. features of Antonyms 3). Some words without antonyms

Almost every word in English has one or more synonyms, but not all words have antonyms.

house, window, book, power, magazine, coal, eat, drink, read

Sense relations

6.4.2. features of Antonyms

“I am sorry to inform you that we are not at all satisfied with your sister. We are very much dissatisfied with her.”

---by Charles Dickens

4. lexical antonym is often stronger than syntactic negation.

6.4.3. Use of antonyms

Stylistic purpose of the use of antonyms

To achieve emphasis by putting contrasting ideas together, to express economically the opposite of a particular thought.

Antithesis: 对偶

"Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing." (Goethe) United we stand, divided we fall.

合即力，分即垮

团结则存，分裂则亡

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Age, I do abhor thee; youth I do adore thee. Man proposes, God disposes. Give everyman thy ear, but few thy voice.

Oxymoron矛盾修饰法：

Visible darkness, a victorious defeat, a clever fool, an open secret, painful pleasure, cruel kindness.

6.4.3. Use of antonyms

Stylistic purpose of the use of antonymsIt was the best of times, it was the worst of times; 这是最好的时期，也是最坏的时期 it was the age of wisdom , it was the age of foolishness; 这是智慧的时代，也是愚蠢的时代 it was the epoch of belief , it was the era of incredulity; 这是信任的年代，也是怀疑的年代 it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness ; 这是光明的季节，也是黑暗的季节； it was the Spring of Hope , it was the Winter of Despair …… 此处隐藏：3639字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……