delay 1. n 1) затримка; припинення; 2) відкладання,  відстрочення; 3) уповільнення; зволікання 

     These three rows of synonyms have both semantic nuances (eg. ‘затримка’ and ‘припинення’; ‘уповільнення’ and ‘зволікання’) and in stylistic terms. Зволікання is characterized by higher stylistic staining, and відстрочення – by its official style. So, these are stylistic synonyms. As word зволікання in modern Ukrainian language is used only in the sustained expressions (без зволікання, справа не терпить зволікання), it should be considered as phraseological synonym to the word ‘відкладання’. 

 

      2.1. Choice of the word from the synonymic row while translating. 

     Because of its historical development English language is extremely rich in synonyms. This synonymous richness of English is widely used in all styles of written language. Synonyms are used to enhance expression, to clarify the concept, so to avoid repetition etc.

     We will show examples of different uses of synonyms and their possible translation into Ukrainian, depending on their function in the sentence. 

     John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga. Describing one of the heroes, Bosini, seen from another hero, a young Jolion, the author uses two synonyms that are different shades of meaning and degrees of intensity:

     The man was unusual, not accentric, but unusual. 

     Adjective ‘unusual’ has the meaning незвичайний, дивний. In this context, it would have to pass the Ukrainian word незвичайний, but for reasons of euphony (a not very close consonance of words незвичайний and ексцентричний) we have to use descriptive synonym - не такий, як всі: 

     Ця  людина не така як всі, у ньому не було нічого ексцентричного, просто він  саме не такий, як всі. 

     The next sequence of synonyms has obvious emphatic nature:

     This conscious, deliberate, calculated policy ... 

     Translator has to keep in translation the increase of meaning intensity, which is so clear in the English sentence:

     Ця  свідома, умисна, наперед продумана/розрахована  політика ... 

     It would be a mistake to assume that in each case synonym performs only one function. Frequently synonyms are used both to clarify and to reinforce the notion:

     In other words, for 110 French killed, over 5,000 Algerians have been massacred.

     Іншими  словами, за 110 вбитих французів було знищено більше 5 тисяч алжирців. 

     The word ‘massacred’ indicates massive bloodshed because when contrasting the number of dead Frenchmen with huge number of Algerians, author contrasts the synonyms ‘killed’ and ‘massacred’. But also, the word ‘massacred’ additionally expresses author's attitude to events. 

     Synonyms in English are used so widely that it formed the traditional pairs of synonymous phrases. Such pairs can be found in all styles of language.  

     Traditional synonymic pairs often are not preserved in translation, sometimes due to lack of appropriate synonym in the Ukrainian language, sometimes it is because this pair can be perceived in the Ukrainian language only as pleonasm. 

     The purposes of Western nations in pouring arms into the Middle East have been open and unconcealed.

     Західні держави ніколи не приховували своїх  цілей, поставляючи зброю на Близький Схід. 

     Adverb ‘ніколи’ partially transmit emphasis, which is established in the English language synonymous pair, which may not be preserved in translation (*відкриті і неприховані).  

     Paired synonyms are not always preserved in the translation of diplomatic and legal documents that require maximum precision:  

     just and equitable (peace) - справедливий (мир)

     null and void - недійсний

     The proposal was rejected and repudiated.

     Пропозиція  була відхилена.  

     Через особливості розвитку англійської  мови синонімічні пари і ряди часто  утворюються із слів різного походження - германського і романського: слова  германського походження слова романського походження 

     Because of the development of English synonymic pairs and rows are often formed from the words of various origins - Germanic and Roman:

     words of Germanic origin  words of Roman origin

     begin     commence

     book     volume

     strong     violent 

     Certainly the words of Roman origin are bookish, and the word of Germanic origin is stylistically neutral. Translator has to pay attention to words belonging to a particular vocabulary layer, as it is of great importance in translation pairs.  

     It is worth mentioning the so-called contextual synonyms - words that are not synonymous in the proper, but which are perceived as such in this context. In the context may be a potential meaning. This fact explains the emergence of contextual synonyms. 

     This stern, sordid and grinding policy  

     The dictionary meaning of these adjectives: 

     stern - суворий

     sordid -відштовхуючий, підлий

     grinding -важкий; той, що вимучує; виснажливий 

     The word ‘stern’ in this synonymic row is the core, and in conjunction with it adjectives ‘sordid’ and ‘grinding’ it becomes synonymous with the more intense meaning: 

     Ця  сувора, жорстока і антигуманна політика 

     It would be mistaken to believe that choice of synonyms applies only to the vocabulary. It often happens that found original semantic equivalent word can not be used because of inadequate grammatical words. In such cases, translator has to find another appropriate synonym to this grammatical context. In a newspaper article in ‘Times’ on the defeat of the French army after Sedan breakthrough (1940) was a phrase: 

     An incompetent or treacherous officer failed to destroy the Rhine bridge. 

     The literal translation of this phrase with the substitution of each word is impossible, since the word ‘зрадницький’ in the Ukrainian language is combined with the name of the performer: 

     *Неосвічений  або зрадницький офіцер не  підірвав міст через Рейн.  

     The adjective ‘зрадницький’ often used in a weakened, figuratively (зрадницька посмішка). But this does not mean that you want the translation is far from word dictionary word match treacherous in Ukrainian. Changing the shape of words (syntax change), ie using the same grammar, we correctly solve the task:  

     Офіцер, який виявився неуком або зрадником, не підірвав міст через Рейн.

 

      Conclusions.

     So, the conclusion is that some words of a language don’t lend themselves well to the analysis in terms of semantic fields. Other important idea is the difficulty of finding finite sets of words. In any case, there’s an internal contradiction between the ideas of a set with the structuring of words of a language. A set is a close set. A word can belong to several fields depending on the organizing concept. Speakers of the language clearly identify the central example but not the peripheral ones. This doesn’t mean that it would never happen that. The degree of flexibility in the discrepancy of the categorization of words is smaller.

     E.g.: Please give me some more tables (‘Table’ is here a mass noun meaning ‘space in a table’).

     E.g.: Two races are grown in India. Here two races’ refers to ‘two types of race’

     The idea behind this is that the dynamic character of a vocabulary cannot be reflected in the static character of the semantic fields, which are a static way of organizing the vocabulary of a language.

     The existence of lexical synonymy in language sets the special task for interpreter. Total synonymy, i.e. synonymy where the members of a synonymic group can replace each other in any given context, without the slightest alteration in denotative or emotional meaning and connotations, is an extremely rare occurrence.

     In addition, synonyms can not always substitute each other. They may be appropriate in one context and be useless in another.

     Having analyzed the problem of synonymy in Modern English we could do the following conclusions:

     a) The problem of synonymy in Modern English is very actual nowadays.

     b) There are several kinds of analysis of synonyms: semantical, stylistic and componentional.

     c) A number of famous linguists dealt with the problem of synonymy in Modern English. In particular, Profs. Ullmann and Broal emphasized the social reasons for synonymy, L. Lipka pointed out non-binary contrast or many-member lexical sets and gave the type which he called directional opposition, V.N. Comissarov and Walter Skeat proved the link of synonymy with other kinds of lexical devices.

     d) The problem of synonymy is still waits for its detail investigation.

     Having said about the perspectives of the work we hope that this work will find its worthy way of applying at schools, lyceums and colleges of high education by both teachers and students of English. We also express our hopes to take this work its worthy place among the lexicological works dedicated to synonymy. 

 

      References.

1. Abayev V.I. Synonyms and their Semantical Features. – T.: O’qituvchi, 1981. – pp. 4-5, 8, 26-29.
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     Dictionaries:

25. Arakin V.D. English-Russian Dictionary. – M.: Russkyy Yazyk, 1978.

26. Bloomsbury Dictionary of New Words. – M., 1996.

27. Hornby The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. – Lnd., 1974.
28. Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English. – Longman, 1981.
29. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English. – Oxford, 1964.
30. World Book Encyclopedia. – NY, Vol. 8, 1993.
31. Литвинов П. Словарь синонимов английского языка. – M.: АСТ, 2010.
32. Трофимова З.C. Dictionary of New Words and New Meanings. – M.: Павлин, 1993.