Corpus Analysis as a Means of Meaning Disambiguation: Collocational Analysis of Near-Synonyms of the Verb ‘Destroy’
https://doi.org/10.24833/2687-0126-2023-5-3-107-125
Abstract
The current paper is aimed at corpus-based differentiation of near-synonymous lexemes with the meaning ‘to destroy’. The research implies a series of consecutive steps: to discuss synonymy-related problems in modern linguistics; to compile a list of near-synonymous lexemes with the meaning ‘to destroy’ by means of Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA); to analyze and compare definitions of the chosen verbs in Merriam-Webster Dictionary (MWD); to generate lists of right-context collocates for each of the verbs in COCA; to put the collocates into semantic clusters and compare the obtained clusters. The list of lexemes under study contains such verbs as ‘destroy’, ‘ruin’, ‘break’, ‘obliterate’, ‘raze’, ‘annihilate’, ‘crush’, ‘devastate’, ‘wreck’, and ‘demolish’. As a result, semantic clusterisation of the right-context collocates helped establish that all verbs of the group collocate with the lexemes representing values and threats where destroying values evokes negative feelings and associations while destroying threats is perceived as a positive action. The verb ‘ruin’ is typically used with the clusters ‘meals and food’, ‘holidays’, ‘leisure activities’, ‘entertainment’ and ‘human relations’, meaning deprivation of enjoyment and happiness. The verb ‘break’ has a wide array of collocates resulting in a variety of conventionalized expressions. The results of the corpus-based research of lexical semantics may be helpful to those professionally engaged in second language teaching as well as in translation and lexicographic practice.
About the Authors
S. V. Ivanova
Saint Petersburg University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Svetlana V. Ivanova is Dr Habil. in Philology, Professor in the Department of the English Language in Philology and Arts
Saint Petersburg
S. N. Medvedeva
Saint-Petersburg State University of Economics
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Svetlana N. Medvedeva is Assistant Professor
Saint Petersburg
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Review
For citations:
Ivanova S.V., Medvedeva S.N. Corpus Analysis as a Means of Meaning Disambiguation: Collocational Analysis of Near-Synonyms of the Verb ‘Destroy’. Professional Discourse & Communication. 2023;5(3):107-125. https://doi.org/10.24833/2687-0126-2023-5-3-107-125
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