The attempt to analyse the phenomenon of near-synonymy in the oral and written mode implicitely pronounces the expectation of finding a tendentious or even a significant variation among the lexical realisations of a given underlying semantic concept in diverse contexts of linguistic performance. However, this task requires a specific determination of the kind of variation we hope to uncover in the course of analysis. One option would be to inquire how often the lexical items under discussion are used in speech and writing, respectively, and to determine that an item, or target, t1 is used twice as often in written language than in spoken, while, conversely, we face the opposite fact for target t2. But such an observation would merely scratch the surface of the actual problem, namely the assessment of the variations among the items concerning their paradigmatic relations to each other in both modes of communication. Asked more articulately, presupposing that speech and writing show a considerable difference concerning dimensions exceeding the mere distinction of being produced in the oral or written mode, does this difference also affect the paradigmatic relations between particular lexical items in a significant way? The answer to this question would ultimately give rise to a more dynamic understanding of how the items are used in language in general. However, this consideration still leaves us with the problem of how to operationalise the items’ paradigmatic relations to each other in such a way, that we are able to measure them in different situations of linguistic performance. In the present thesis, we will meet this challenge by pursuing the following argumentation: an inherent part of a lexical item’s meaning is constituted by its collocational potential, this is, its syntagmatic readiness concerning a given set of locally co-occurring lexical context and, consequently, nearsynonyms share a certain, measurable amount of this potential with each other, assuming that if they are semantically similar, they may also be so in respect of their syntagmatic readiness. This is, if we consider a set of near-synonyms with respect to their collocational patterns in diverse situational contexts of linguistic performance, are we able to assert a significant difference concerning their similarity among each context? If we are able to observe such a difference, what are the proper dimensions and determinants of this variation? [...]
Table of Contents
- An Interdisciplinary Approach
- Theoretical Concepts and Issues
- Language in the oral and the written mode
- Lexical density and grammatical intricacy
- Involvement and detachment
- Textual dimensions and a grammar of conversation
- Conclusion
- Near-synonymy and the lexicon
- Synonymy as an emergent phenomenon
- Synonymy as a matter of absoluteness and degree
- Variations across near-synonyms
- Conclusion
- A multi-dimensional point of view
- Introducing semantic space
- Collocations as distance determinants
- Conclusion
- A Statistical Model of Near-synonymy in the Oral and Written Mode
- The Hypothesis
- The Methodology
- Composing the subcorpora of spoken and written registers
- Selecting the targets
- Selecting the context elements
- The lexical association function and the similarity measures
- Some caveats
- Results
- Spontaneous Conversation
- Context-governed speech
- Written language of medium formality
- Highly formal written language
- The dimensions of variation
- Discussion
- Evaluation of the model
- Is near-synonymy just the usual sort of standard stuff?
- The determinants of variation
- Summary
Objectives and Key Themes
This thesis aims to investigate the variations in near-synonym usage between oral and written language. It seeks to understand if and how the paradigmatic relationships between near-synonyms differ across these modes of communication, moving beyond simple frequency counts to analyze the contextual influences on their selection.
- The relationship between near-synonymy and linguistic performance in oral and written modes.
- The role of collocations in defining and measuring the semantic similarity of near-synonyms.
- The identification of significant variations in near-synonym usage across different contexts of spoken and written language.
- Development and application of a statistical model to analyze near-synonym usage patterns.
- The determinants and dimensions of variation in near-synonym selection across different registers.
Chapter Summaries
An Interdisciplinary Approach: This introductory chapter establishes the research question: Does the difference between oral and written communication significantly affect the paradigmatic relationships between near-synonyms? It introduces the concept of analyzing collocational potential as a measurable aspect of a lexical item's meaning, arguing that near-synonyms, being semantically similar, should exhibit similar collocational patterns. The chapter highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the study, blending linguistic theory with statistical modeling to empirically investigate the relationship between near-synonymy and the context of linguistic performance. The overarching goal is to develop a more dynamic understanding of how near-synonyms function in language.
Theoretical Concepts and Issues: This chapter lays the theoretical groundwork for the study. It delves into existing linguistic theories regarding oral versus written language, focusing on concepts like lexical density, grammatical intricacy, involvement versus detachment, and the grammar of conversation. It also explores various perspectives on synonymy, considering it both as an emergent phenomenon and as a matter of degree. The chapter introduces the concept of semantic space and the crucial role of collocations in determining the distance between near-synonyms within this space. This theoretical framework provides the foundation for the subsequent statistical analysis.
A Statistical Model of Near-synonymy in the Oral and Written Mode: This chapter details the methodology employed in the study. It describes the process of creating subcorpora of spoken and written language, the selection of near-synonym targets, the identification of relevant context elements, and the application of lexical association functions to measure the similarity between near-synonyms within different contexts. The chapter also carefully addresses potential limitations and caveats of the chosen methods. This provides a transparent and rigorous approach to the data analysis presented in the following chapter.
Results: This chapter presents the findings of the statistical analysis, examining the patterns of near-synonym usage across various registers (spontaneous conversation, context-governed speech, written language of medium formality, and highly formal written language). It analyzes the observed variations in near-synonym similarity across different contexts, laying the groundwork for the interpretations and conclusions found in the later Discussion chapter. Specific data and observations regarding the different registers are provided to support the overall analysis.
Discussion: This chapter, excluding the final section, evaluates the strengths and limitations of the proposed statistical model. It further explores whether the observed variations are significant, examining if they represent more than just typical patterns of lexical variation. Finally, it delves into the underlying factors and dimensions that contribute to observed variations in near-synonym selection across different contexts. This section provides insightful interpretations and contextualizes the results within the broader linguistic landscape.
Keywords
Near-synonymy, oral language, written language, collocations, semantic space, lexical variation, corpus linguistics, statistical analysis, register variation, linguistic performance.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Statistical Model of Near-synonymy in the Oral and Written Mode
What is the main research question addressed in this thesis?
The central research question explores whether the differences between oral and written communication significantly impact the paradigmatic relationships between near-synonyms. It investigates if and how the contextual usage of near-synonyms varies across these modes of communication.
What is the scope of the study?
The study examines near-synonym usage in both oral and written language, analyzing variations across different registers (spontaneous conversation, context-governed speech, medium formality writing, and highly formal writing). It moves beyond simple frequency counts to analyze contextual influences on near-synonym selection.
What theoretical concepts underpin the study?
The study draws upon linguistic theories related to oral versus written language, focusing on concepts like lexical density, grammatical intricacy, involvement/detachment, and the grammar of conversation. It also considers different perspectives on synonymy, including synonymy as an emergent phenomenon and as a matter of degree. The concept of semantic space and the role of collocations in defining semantic similarity are central.
What methodology is used in this research?
The study employs a statistical model. The methodology includes creating subcorpora of spoken and written language, selecting near-synonym targets and context elements, and applying lexical association functions to measure similarity between near-synonyms across different contexts. Potential limitations of the methods are also addressed.
What are the key findings of the study?
The results chapter presents the findings of the statistical analysis, showing patterns of near-synonym usage across the various registers. It analyzes variations in near-synonym similarity across contexts, providing specific data and observations for each register.
How are the results interpreted and discussed?
The discussion chapter evaluates the statistical model's strengths and limitations, explores the significance of the observed variations, and investigates the factors contributing to those variations in near-synonym selection across contexts. The chapter aims to contextualize the results within the broader linguistic landscape.
What is the overall goal of the research?
The overarching goal is to develop a more nuanced understanding of how near-synonyms function in language, considering the influence of the mode (oral vs. written) and register of communication.
What are the key terms used throughout the thesis?
Key terms include near-synonymy, oral language, written language, collocations, semantic space, lexical variation, corpus linguistics, statistical analysis, register variation, and linguistic performance.
What is the structure of the thesis?
The thesis is structured into chapters covering an interdisciplinary approach, theoretical concepts and issues, a statistical model, results, discussion, and a summary. Each chapter builds upon the previous one, progressing from the theoretical framework to the methodology, results, and interpretation.
What is the significance of the study's contribution to the field?
The study contributes by providing empirical evidence of how near-synonym usage varies across different registers of spoken and written language, using a sophisticated statistical model. This advances understanding of lexical variation and the contextual influences on word choice.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Daniel Daimler (Author), 2004, Near-synonyms in the oral and written mode, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/29420
