Antonyms

Antonyms demonstrate another type of semantic relation of words, opposite to that observed and synonyms. Usually they defined as the words with the qualitative component in the semantic structure which allows to oppose them. As a rule, these words are of abstract character. Feelings, Gender, colour, size.

Antonyms and synonyms are created on the basis of the common and some different semantic components of the meaning. Minor relations – they are paronyms – very similar in meaning, but used in different contexts. (economic – economical)

English vocabulary as a system and semantic rules

All words are interrelated in the lexicon.

The lexicon – a system is defined as integrated whole consisting of interrelated components. We have to define the types of their relations:

1. syntagmatic

2. paradigmatic.

Words are grouped in constellation, in speech they are brought together.

Ex: handsome woman – has a core, intellect.

Regular contexts depend on meaning. The combination of words in speech are called syntagma and the relations of words in speech are called syntagmatic.

On the syntagmatic level the semantic structure of the words is analyzed in its linear relationships with neighboring words in connected speech. Semantic characteristics are studied on the basis of the typical context. Such syntagmatic relation define the meaning of the word possesses in combination.

All syntagmas are classified according to semantic relations to its components.

Colocations (regular contexts) depend on the meaning of words and habits of the speaker. Speakers get used to stringing words together according to the rules which specifies which word can be connected with the particular word. The combination called – syntagmatic (2 or more elements).

Syntagmas are classified according to the semantic relations which are composed into.

Ex: I read (predicative syntagma)

blue moon (attributive syntagma)

read a book (objective syntagma)

Syntagmatic relations reveal themselves in speech on the level of sentence, utterance, whole text. The new meaning which words acquire in this case are called syntagmatic meaning.

Ex: pretty girl = beautiful

pretty good = rather good

Syntagmatic relations (depending on their pattern of syntagma)

Free – combination Idiomatic combination

(dictionary meaning) (are those in which new transferred meaning of words are created)

Ex: cold blood, red tape – бюрократизм

Paradigmatic relations – when taken out of the speech words may be grouped. All the forms of the word make up the system called the paradigm.

Ex: come – comes – coming – came.

The totality of all forms of the words is called the grammatical paradigm. All of them are based on one principle. The components of one paradigm may never occur together.

Grammatical paradigm reflects the division of words into parts of speech on the basis of their common essential meaning (action, object, quality, etc.), and their functions in speech (subject, predicate, attribute, etc.), and their common categories (tense, aspect, number, case, etc.).

Paradigmatic relations are based on regular semantic similarity of word meaning.

The distinction between syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations is conventionally indicated by horizontal and vertical presentation.

Syntagmatic relations
Paradigmatic relations	He got a letter. I received an e-mail. She obtained a note.