Luận văn synonyms and their challenges for first year students at the english department university of languages and international studies vietnam national university

We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or li

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUTMES

DEPARTMENT OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

SYNONYMS AND THEIR CHALLENGES FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

AT THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

(Từ đóng nghĩa và những thách thức của nó đối với sinh viên năm thứ nhất

khoa Anh, Đại học Ngoại ngữ, Đại học Quốc gia, Hà Nội)

M.A Minor Thesis

Held: English Lingulstics Code: 60.22.15

HANOI, 2009

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUTMES

DEPARTMENT OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

SYNONYMS AND THEIR CHALLENGES FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

AT THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

(Từ đóng nghĩa và những thách thức của nó đối với sinh viên năm thứ nhất

khoa Anh, Đại học Ngoại ngữ, Đại học Quốc gia, Hà Nội)

M.A Minor Thesis

Field: English Linguistics Cade: 60.22.15

Supervisor: Dr Ha Cẩm Tâm

1 Rationale of the study

2 Scope af the sturdy

3 Aims of the study

4 Organization of the study

- To provide some recommendations for preventative and curative measures to help improve first year students’ use of synonyms

4, Organization of the study:

‘There are three main parts in this thesis ‘he first part is INTRODUCTION in which

3, the backbone of the thesis, deals with data analysis and discussions This chapter mainly presents the errors in using synonyms by first year students and discusses their causes as well

as suggests preventative and curative mcasures, Through this last chapter, foachors and students may find useful methods to apply in their real teaching and learning

The CONCLUSION part presents conchiding remarks, implications for teaching and

learning synonyms, and suggestions tor fiuther reseaich

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

(b) Jack is a sailor

Because the truth of (a) entails the truth of (b) and vice versa, and also the falsity of (a) entails the falsity of (b) and vice versa, seaman and sailor are synonyms

Linguistic semantics with a famous representative, John Lyon, defines synonyms as

“expressions wilh the same meaning” Similarly, Michacl MeCarthy (1997) says “synonysny means that two or more words have the same meaning.” He takes series of examples as begin and start, sof and settee, below, beneath and imderfneath), ete D.A Cruse (1986) in the book Lexical semantics states that synonyms arc pairs or groups of lexical items bearing a

special sort of semantic resemblance to one another Howard Jackson (2000-92) also mentions

“sameness of meaning” (hal holds balweon te words when discussing synonyms,

So each linguist uses a different expression, but they all agree that synonyms are pairs or groups of words with the same meaning Only Lyon difiérs fiom other linguists in using the term “expressions” He makes clear this point by explaining that his definition does not restrict the relation of synonymy to lexcmes, so lexically simple expressions may be synonymous to

lexically complex expressions Denying this, Kreidler (2998:98) affirms that synonyms are

typieally singlc Jexcmes of the same weight, Thorefore, Mr Jenkins is ow postman and Mr Jenkins is the person who delivers our mail may have the same meaning, but postman and the person who delivers our mail are not synonyms

For the purpose of this siudy, synonyms arc confined to lexemes, but not nsecssarily

“single Iexemes of the same weight”, and ccrtainly they must be categorized as the same pat

of speech So, die, pass away and kick the bucket are considered members of a group of synonyms This will sorve as a working tool in this thesis

ranges overlap but they are not co-extensive

lo say Utat synonyms have different ranges of compatibility, the

- To provide some recommendations for preventative and curative measures to help improve first year students’ use of synonyms

4, Organization of the study:

‘There are three main parts in this thesis ‘he first part is INTRODUCTION in which

3, the backbone of the thesis, deals with data analysis and discussions This chapter mainly presents the errors in using synonyms by first year students and discusses their causes as well

as suggests preventative and curative mcasures, Through this last chapter, foachors and students may find useful methods to apply in their real teaching and learning

The CONCLUSION part presents conchiding remarks, implications for teaching and

learning synonyms, and suggestions tor fiuther reseaich

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

(b) Jack is a sailor

Because the truth of (a) entails the truth of (b) and vice versa, and also the falsity of (a) entails the falsity of (b) and vice versa, seaman and sailor are synonyms

Linguistic semantics with a famous representative, John Lyon, defines synonyms as

“expressions wilh the same meaning” Similarly, Michacl MeCarthy (1997) says “synonysny means that two or more words have the same meaning.” He takes series of examples as begin and start, sof and settee, below, beneath and imderfneath), ete D.A Cruse (1986) in the book Lexical semantics states that synonyms arc pairs or groups of lexical items bearing a

special sort of semantic resemblance to one another Howard Jackson (2000-92) also mentions

“sameness of meaning” (hal holds balweon te words when discussing synonyms,

So each linguist uses a different expression, but they all agree that synonyms are pairs or groups of words with the same meaning Only Lyon difiérs fiom other linguists in using the term “expressions” He makes clear this point by explaining that his definition does not restrict the relation of synonymy to lexcmes, so lexically simple expressions may be synonymous to

lexically complex expressions Denying this, Kreidler (2998:98) affirms that synonyms are

typieally singlc Jexcmes of the same weight, Thorefore, Mr Jenkins is ow postman and Mr Jenkins is the person who delivers our mail may have the same meaning, but postman and the person who delivers our mail are not synonyms

For the purpose of this siudy, synonyms arc confined to lexemes, but not nsecssarily

“single Iexemes of the same weight”, and ccrtainly they must be categorized as the same pat

of speech So, die, pass away and kick the bucket are considered members of a group of synonyms This will sorve as a working tool in this thesis

ranges overlap but they are not co-extensive

lo say Utat synonyms have different ranges of compatibility, the

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

(b) Jack is a sailor

Because the truth of (a) entails the truth of (b) and vice versa, and also the falsity of (a) entails the falsity of (b) and vice versa, seaman and sailor are synonyms

Linguistic semantics with a famous representative, John Lyon, defines synonyms as

“expressions wilh the same meaning” Similarly, Michacl MeCarthy (1997) says “synonysny means that two or more words have the same meaning.” He takes series of examples as begin and start, sof and settee, below, beneath and imderfneath), ete D.A Cruse (1986) in the book Lexical semantics states that synonyms arc pairs or groups of lexical items bearing a

special sort of semantic resemblance to one another Howard Jackson (2000-92) also mentions

“sameness of meaning” (hal holds balweon te words when discussing synonyms,

So each linguist uses a different expression, but they all agree that synonyms are pairs or groups of words with the same meaning Only Lyon difiérs fiom other linguists in using the term “expressions” He makes clear this point by explaining that his definition does not restrict the relation of synonymy to lexcmes, so lexically simple expressions may be synonymous to

lexically complex expressions Denying this, Kreidler (2998:98) affirms that synonyms are

typieally singlc Jexcmes of the same weight, Thorefore, Mr Jenkins is ow postman and Mr Jenkins is the person who delivers our mail may have the same meaning, but postman and the person who delivers our mail are not synonyms

For the purpose of this siudy, synonyms arc confined to lexemes, but not nsecssarily

“single Iexemes of the same weight”, and ccrtainly they must be categorized as the same pat

of speech So, die, pass away and kick the bucket are considered members of a group of synonyms This will sorve as a working tool in this thesis

ranges overlap but they are not co-extensive

lo say Utat synonyms have different ranges of compatibility, the

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

- To provide some recommendations for preventative and curative measures to help improve first year students’ use of synonyms

4, Organization of the study:

‘There are three main parts in this thesis ‘he first part is INTRODUCTION in which

3, the backbone of the thesis, deals with data analysis and discussions This chapter mainly presents the errors in using synonyms by first year students and discusses their causes as well

as suggests preventative and curative mcasures, Through this last chapter, foachors and students may find useful methods to apply in their real teaching and learning

The CONCLUSION part presents conchiding remarks, implications for teaching and

learning synonyms, and suggestions tor fiuther reseaich

DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW The knowledge of synonyms, factors distinguishing them, and the skill of componential analysis are required for identifying and analyzing first year students’ errors in using synonyms Therefore, this chapter deals with the basic concepts and ideas to set the theoretical backgraund for analyses which will he carried out later in this study

There are different definitions and discussions on synonyms fiom various semanticists Some representatives are John Lyon, W Kreidler, Michael McCarthy, Norbert Schmitt, ete Their points of view on synonyms will be discussed and comparcd to establish a comprehensible and rich theoretical background that serves the purpose of the thesis

1.1 Overview of synonyms:

1.1.1 Synonymy - a sense relation:

Sense telation is an internal meaning relation that holds between words within the vooibulary systom af the language Tn other words, il is the paradigmatic relation, the relation

(8) Jack is a scarnain

Another characteristic of synonyms is that the bridging rule is nat applicable for them, i.e, the fact that A is synonymous with B and A is synonymous with C does not necessarily means that B is synonymous with C ‘Thus, iamy is synonymous with humorous when compatible with story, and fiumy is synonymous with peculiar when compatible with feeling, bul famorous anil peculiar me not synonyms

Funny story — humorous story

} humorous # peculiar Funny fecling — peculiar fecling

1.1.4, Classification of synonyms:

1.1.4.1, Absolute synonyms:

“Absolute synonyms” is the term John Lyon used for pairs or groups of synonyms that can be substituted for one another in any given context, whereas Jackson (2000) would rather call this ‘strict synonyms’ In this research, these two terms are used interchangeably Lyon establishes a sct of three eritcria to assess whether a pair of synonyms is absolute or not

Gall their meanings are identical

Gi} they ars synonymous in all contexts (their collocational ranges are identical) (iii) they are semantically equivalent (their meaning or meanings are identical) on

all dimensions of meaning, descriptive or non-desoriptive) More simply, Jackson stiles that the choice between strict synonyms would have 1 offect on the caning, stylc or connotation of what was being said or wiittcn Cruse also makes a short explanation of absolute synonyms with the condition that all their contextual relations arz identical

Although many linguists mention absohite synonyms and classified them as one type

of synonyms, they all agree that this type of synonyms is really rare Some linguists even argue thal absolut: ynonyms do not exist, If they do, iL is only when scmantie chang: i taking place This means that when two words appear to become strict synonyms, either of them will change its meaning or fallen out of use Jackson takes sky and heaven as an example, At first, these twa wards denoted both the physical firmament and the spiritual realm

of God and the angels Then sky came to denote just the physical, and heaven just the spiritual

(b) Jack is a sailor

Because the truth of (a) entails the truth of (b) and vice versa, and also the falsity of (a) entails the falsity of (b) and vice versa, seaman and sailor are synonyms

Linguistic semantics with a famous representative, John Lyon, defines synonyms as

“expressions wilh the same meaning” Similarly, Michacl MeCarthy (1997) says “synonysny means that two or more words have the same meaning.” He takes series of examples as begin and start, sof and settee, below, beneath and imderfneath), ete D.A Cruse (1986) in the book Lexical semantics states that synonyms arc pairs or groups of lexical items bearing a

special sort of semantic resemblance to one another Howard Jackson (2000-92) also mentions

“sameness of meaning” (hal holds balweon te words when discussing synonyms,

So each linguist uses a different expression, but they all agree that synonyms are pairs or groups of words with the same meaning Only Lyon difiérs fiom other linguists in using the term “expressions” He makes clear this point by explaining that his definition does not restrict the relation of synonymy to lexcmes, so lexically simple expressions may be synonymous to

lexically complex expressions Denying this, Kreidler (2998:98) affirms that synonyms are

typieally singlc Jexcmes of the same weight, Thorefore, Mr Jenkins is ow postman and Mr Jenkins is the person who delivers our mail may have the same meaning, but postman and the person who delivers our mail are not synonyms

For the purpose of this siudy, synonyms arc confined to lexemes, but not nsecssarily

“single Iexemes of the same weight”, and ccrtainly they must be categorized as the same pat

of speech So, die, pass away and kick the bucket are considered members of a group of synonyms This will sorve as a working tool in this thesis

ranges overlap but they are not co-extensive

lo say Utat synonyms have different ranges of compatibility, the

Another characteristic of synonyms is that the bridging rule is nat applicable for them, i.e, the fact that A is synonymous with B and A is synonymous with C does not necessarily means that B is synonymous with C ‘Thus, iamy is synonymous with humorous when compatible with story, and fiumy is synonymous with peculiar when compatible with feeling, bul famorous anil peculiar me not synonyms

Funny story — humorous story

} humorous # peculiar Funny fecling — peculiar fecling

1.1.4, Classification of synonyms:

1.1.4.1, Absolute synonyms:

“Absolute synonyms” is the term John Lyon used for pairs or groups of synonyms that can be substituted for one another in any given context, whereas Jackson (2000) would rather call this ‘strict synonyms’ In this research, these two terms are used interchangeably Lyon establishes a sct of three eritcria to assess whether a pair of synonyms is absolute or not

Gall their meanings are identical

Gi} they ars synonymous in all contexts (their collocational ranges are identical) (iii) they are semantically equivalent (their meaning or meanings are identical) on

all dimensions of meaning, descriptive or non-desoriptive) More simply, Jackson stiles that the choice between strict synonyms would have 1 offect on the caning, stylc or connotation of what was being said or wiittcn Cruse also makes a short explanation of absolute synonyms with the condition that all their contextual relations arz identical

Although many linguists mention absohite synonyms and classified them as one type

of synonyms, they all agree that this type of synonyms is really rare Some linguists even argue thal absolut: ynonyms do not exist, If they do, iL is only when scmantie chang: i taking place This means that when two words appear to become strict synonyms, either of them will change its meaning or fallen out of use Jackson takes sky and heaven as an example, At first, these twa wards denoted both the physical firmament and the spiritual realm

of God and the angels Then sky came to denote just the physical, and heaven just the spiritual

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

"

Therefore, using synonyms flexibly and effectively is really a challenge for students Jearning a foreign language

First year students at English Department, College of orsign Languages, Vietnam

National University, have not learnt language theory, so a majority of them are not highly aware of the factors underlying a pair or a group of synonyins, As a resull, they make a Tot of errors in using synonyms Nevertheless, these errors can be restricted and corrected if the students are warned about those factors

That is why this study is camicd out, to investigate the factors underlying the use of synonyms, and to help first year students to improve their use of synonyms in writing

2 Scope of the study:

This study is confined to English synonyms only It is not a contrastive analysis of synonyms, so Vietnamese synonyms are not mentioned, They are just given as illustrations tor the miversal properties of synonyms Even within English synonyms, only several groups are investigated owing to the fact that the munber of English synonyms is bngc, and certainly a minor research can hardly cover all of them

Onwe the study is doveluped, it cam be scun thal (hore are several factors underlying the use of synonyms; however, not all of these factors make synonyms become challenging to students, so only the factors that canse students to make errors are discussed m details ‘The other factors arz jusl listed for reference

Although students at higher levels of English still make mistakes in using synonyms, only first year students are taken into consideration as they are appropriate subjects for the purpose of the studly

3 Aims of the study:

‘This study is carried ont to serve three major purposes:

= To conduct an investigation irlo differcrt aspects of Buglish synianyrs

- To address the issue of using some specific groups of synonyms of first year students

in English Department, College of Foreign Languages, Viemam National University

This is done by making the students lo do some tests Then their errors in the Lests are

picked up and examined for causes and sources

- To provide some recommendations for preventative and curative measures to help improve first year students’ use of synonyms

4, Organization of the study:

‘There are three main parts in this thesis ‘he first part is INTRODUCTION in which

3, the backbone of the thesis, deals with data analysis and discussions This chapter mainly presents the errors in using synonyms by first year students and discusses their causes as well

as suggests preventative and curative mcasures, Through this last chapter, foachors and students may find useful methods to apply in their real teaching and learning

The CONCLUSION part presents conchiding remarks, implications for teaching and

learning synonyms, and suggestions tor fiuther reseaich

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

(b) Jack is a sailor

Because the truth of (a) entails the truth of (b) and vice versa, and also the falsity of (a) entails the falsity of (b) and vice versa, seaman and sailor are synonyms

Linguistic semantics with a famous representative, John Lyon, defines synonyms as

“expressions wilh the same meaning” Similarly, Michacl MeCarthy (1997) says “synonysny means that two or more words have the same meaning.” He takes series of examples as begin and start, sof and settee, below, beneath and imderfneath), ete D.A Cruse (1986) in the book Lexical semantics states that synonyms arc pairs or groups of lexical items bearing a

special sort of semantic resemblance to one another Howard Jackson (2000-92) also mentions

“sameness of meaning” (hal holds balweon te words when discussing synonyms,

So each linguist uses a different expression, but they all agree that synonyms are pairs or groups of words with the same meaning Only Lyon difiérs fiom other linguists in using the term “expressions” He makes clear this point by explaining that his definition does not restrict the relation of synonymy to lexcmes, so lexically simple expressions may be synonymous to

lexically complex expressions Denying this, Kreidler (2998:98) affirms that synonyms are

typieally singlc Jexcmes of the same weight, Thorefore, Mr Jenkins is ow postman and Mr Jenkins is the person who delivers our mail may have the same meaning, but postman and the person who delivers our mail are not synonyms

For the purpose of this siudy, synonyms arc confined to lexemes, but not nsecssarily

“single Iexemes of the same weight”, and ccrtainly they must be categorized as the same pat

of speech So, die, pass away and kick the bucket are considered members of a group of synonyms This will sorve as a working tool in this thesis

ranges overlap but they are not co-extensive

lo say Utat synonyms have different ranges of compatibility, the

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1 Discussion of the results of the test

2 Implications of the study results

3 Suggestions for further research

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir

RODUCTION

1, Rationale of the study:

Synonyms do exist in almost every language, including English Lnglish, as Iloward

Jackson slat

is a language rich in pairs of synonyms These pairs (or groups) af synonyms give us various choices when we want to convey one and the same idea, They make a language flexible and varied However, to choose the appropriate word among a group of synonyms for a specific situation is not simple If we can do this, we may fecl absolutely satisfied because we have expressed ourselves not only correctly but also lively and emotionally We can create a mental picture for the reader by using words that are specific and accurate, Thank 10 this, our utlcranees or sonlonces arc very persuasive and appealing to readers or listeners, On the contrary, if the word we use is not suitable, we may feel embarrassed and even uneasy,

This fact proves one thing that paixs or groups of synonyms arc not substitutable in every situation Two words may be synonymous and equally appropriate for one context, but nol so in anolher, There are some nnderlying faclors Ghat make them different from one another Even native speakers, who are aware of these factors, sometimes find it hard to express themselves by not being able to choose the most suitable word, An example in Vietnamese is that when a young gitl wore a new orange T- shirt with the pattem of a butterfly

on it, hor mother liked it very much and wanted fo pay a compliment to her However, she happened to find no words to say what she wanted to Her mind seemed to be empty, and she fell very confiased, Sho said Lo her daughler thai “Thoa hôm nay có cải áo sặc sỡ thết” Yet sho was completely dissatistied with her word choice because in Vietnamese “sic s8” bas a neutral, or sometimes rather negative sense, whereas her comment on her daughter's ‘T- shirt was entirely positive After a while, a friend of the git] came and saw the T- shirl, she exclaimed: “Oi, chi cé oAi áo thật lá rục rối” Then the girl’s mother appeared to be released from her uneasiness and confusion now that she found the key to her problem of vocabulary

“Rực rỡ” is exactly the word she wanted to use for her compliment, and that word gives an extremely different impression of how she fell aboul the T- shir