Lexical Relations. Antonyms and Synonyms

Question 1

Fill in the blank: “A certain number of words in English which have more than one meaning can be given descriptions which make them seem —-, i.e. their own opposites.”

Answer 1

Autoantonymous.

Question 2

Define context-bound synonymy.

Answer 2

Two words are synonyms in a certain given context.

Question 3

Given the sentence “I won’t date guys with baggage/*luggage from their divorces.” provide an example where “baggage” and “luggage” are synonyms.

Answer 3

“Check your baggage/luggage with the gate agent.”

Question 4

Define directional opposition and provide an example.

Answer 4

Directional opposition refers to pairs which are related to opposite directions on a common axis. For example, north-south.

Question 5

Provide an example of lexical synonyms that are interchangeable in every environment.

Answer 5

Peking and Beijing.

Question 6

Compositional analysis makes meaning seem more concrete and uniform than in traditional dictionary definitions. True or False?

Answer 6

True.

Question 7

What type of antonyms are open to comparison and why?

Answer 7

Gradable antonyms, as they occur on a scale, meaning a midpoint exists. For example, you can say one object is heavier than another.

Question 8

Do all words have an (obvious) antonym?

Answer 8

No, they do not.

Question 9

What are the two main types of antonyms?

Answer 9

Gradable and Non-gradable antonyms.

Question 10

Classify the following words in the order of Neutral-Formal-Slang: 1. Fag 2. Luncheon 3. Doctor.

Answer 10

Doctor-Luncheon-Fag.

Question 11

Lexical synonymy is the synonymy between individual lexemes. True or False?

Answer 11

True

Question 12

To what antonym subtype does the pair do-undo belong?

Answer 12

It belongs to reversive opposition.

Question 13

In the following examples, which word is an uncommitted member and which one does commit the speaker: a. How good is that film? b. How bad is that film?

Answer 13

“good” is uncommitted and “bad” is committed.

Question 14

Fill in the blank: “Another important distinction is between synonymy of —- and synonymy of —-.”

Answer 14

Synonymy of words and synonymy of senses.

Question 15

Why is the prefix un- significant in the English language?

Answer 15

It allows for the productive creation of antonyms.

Question 16

Provide an example of a gradable antonym.

Answer 16

Two good examples would be hot-cold and good-bad.

Question 17

Between the lexemes “doctor” and “quack”, which one has a neutral connotation and which one has pejorative connotation?

Answer 17

“Doctor” has a neutral connotation and “quack” a pejorative connotation.

Question 18

Is the difference between lexical synonyms often times one of denotation or connotation?

Answer 18

Connotation.

Question 19

Is there a cultural component when it concerns the recognition of pairs of antonyms?

Answer 19

Yes, some are easier to recognise than others.

Question 20

Do we recognise two words as antonyms due to our dictionary knowledge or encyclopaedic knowledge?

Answer 20

Our encyclopaedic knowledge.

Question 21

Can words have more than one antonym? If so, provide an explanation and one example.

Answer 21

Yes, depending on the dimension of contrast involved. For example, “sweet” has “bitter”, “sour”, and “savory”.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: “A general problem with subtypes of antonymy is that of —-.”

Answer 22

Determining their boundaries.

Question 23

To what antonym subtype does the pair come-go belong?

Answer 23

It belongs to directional opposition.

Question 24

Provide an example of an autoantonym.

Answer 24

Sanction, meaning both “to approve” and “to censure”.

Question 25

Provide an example of a word that has no clear antonym.

Answer 25

Words such as "library" or "kitchen"

Question 26

According to Murphy, a speakers' knowledge of the relation of antonymy is----

Answer 26

Metalexical.

Question 27

Synonymy and grammatical context: do they need to be synonymous in all grammatical co-occurence possibilities? Yes or no.

Answer 27

No, they do not.

Question 28

Explain opposition and provide and example.

Answer 28

Opposition denotes a relationship from opposite points of view. For example, give-receive.

Question 29

Define context-free synonymy.

Answer 29

If two words are synonymous, they are identical in meaning in all contexts.

Question 30

Are "pupil" and "student" lexical synonyms?

Answer 30

No, but they are synonymous with respect to one of their senses.

Question 31

According to Murphy, what limits the risk of confusion when dealing with cases of autoantonymy?

Answer 31

The contextual factors.

Question 32

When it comes to synonymy, what main discrepancy do we encounter?

Answer 32

Whether they are context-bound or context-free.

Question 33

Synonymy between expressions consisting of more than one lexeme is called...

Answer 33

Phrasal synonymy.

Question 34

Lexical synonymy is the synonymy between expressions consisting of more than one lexeme. True or False?

Answer 34

False.

Question 35

Fill in the blank: "---- are often enlisted as equivalents without any semantic difference between the equivalent terms being intended.

Answer 35

Near-synonyms.

Question 36

Fill in the blank: "---- have a number of subtle characteristics: one of the members of an adjectival antonym pair often behaves "neutrally" in questions and comparative constructions."

Answer 36

Gradable antonyms.

Question 37

Name the other types of antonymic relations.

Answer 37

Opposition, directional opposition, and reversive opposition.

Question 38

How do we call the gradable antonyms that do not show imbalances concerning committing or not committing the speaker? Provide an example.

Answer 38

Equipollent gradable antonyms. For example: "How hot is the pan?"

Question 39

What type of antonym does not admit a midpoint? Provide an example.

Answer 39

Non-gradable antonyms, such as pass-fail and accepted-rejected.

Question 40

Fill in the blank: "----- may be characterized as a relationship of incompatibility between two terms with respect to some given dimension of contrast."

Answer 40

Antonymy.

Question 41

Fill in the blank: "---- are enlisted as equivalents without any semantic difference between the equivalent terms being intended."

Answer 41

Near-synonyms.

Question 42

"Mombay" and "Mumbai" are examples of synonyms that are interchangeable or not interchangeable in every environment?

Answer 42

Interchangeable.

Question 43

"Two words are synonyms in a certain given context" is the definition of context-bound or context-free?

Answer 43

Context-bound.

Question 44

Do non-gradable antonyms accept a midpoint? Give an example of one non-gradable antonym.

Answer 44

They do not admit a midpoint. An example would be pass-fail.

Question 45

Is this affirmation true? "Graded phenomenon: the more senses two words share, the more synonymous they are.

Answer 45

Yes, it is true.

Question 46

Which one is an example of directional opposition? a. build-demolish b. colour-bleach c. come-go d. above-below

Answer 46

c. come-go

Question 47

Find the mistake in the following sentence: "Meaning identity (synonymy) is a part of the metalinguistic stock-in-trade of ordinary speakers of English: never refer to words as having the same meaning."

Answer 47

Meaning identity (synonymy) is a part of metalinguistic stock-in-trade of ordinary speakers of English: OFTEN refer to words as having the same meaning.

Question 48

Phrasal synonymy is the synonymy between expressions consisting of more than one lexeme. True or False?

Answer 48

True.

Question 49

Provide an example of reversive opposition.

Answer 49

Build-demolish

Question 50

Is the slang form of a neutral word considered a synonym of it?

Answer 50

Yes, although they differ in their connotations.