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Synonym Chains: Exploring the Limits of Synonymy with Dmitri Borgmann and Merriam-Webster, Summaries of English Language

The concept of synonym chains, as presented by dmitri borgmann in his book 'beyond language'. The creation of synonym chains using the merriam-webster second and third editions, and compares the results with a study by ron hardin using the new collins thesaurus. The document also raises questions about the length and reversibility of synonym chains, and suggests the potential use of a digital computer for further investigation.

What you will learn

  • Can a single two-way synonym chain be constructed between opposites?
  • Do the synonym chains presented in the document exceed the minimum-length ones?

Typology: Summaries

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100
WEBSTER
IAN
SYNONYM
CHAINS
A.
IWSS ECKLER
Morristown,
New
Jersey
In
Beyond
Language
(Scribner's,
1967),
Dmitri
Borgmann
presents
two
synonym
chains
in
"Beauty
in
Ugliness"
on
pages
38-9
and
191:
black~dark-obscure-hidden-concealed-snug-comfortable-easy
simp
le-pu
re-wh
i
te
ugl
y-offen
s i
ve-ins
u1
tin
g-insolen
t-p
roud-lordly-st
a
tely-grand-
gorgeous-bea
ut
iful
1n
each
chain,
each
word
1S
alleged
to
be
a
synonym
of
the
one
immediately
preceding
or
folloWing
it,
yet
the
ends
of
the
chain
are
opposites.
He
doesn't
specify
his
sources
for
synonymy,
other
than
"dictionary
investigation".
The
first
chain
can
be
constructed
using
a
combination
of
the
Merriam-Webster
Second
and
Third
edi-
tions,
although
neither
one
alone
suffices:
Webster's
Third
does
not
allow
bl
ack-da
rk,
snug-concealed,
or
pure-White
as
synonyms,
and
Webster's
Second
does
not
allow
pure-simple,
simple-easy,
or
easy-comfortable
(although
it
does
equate
the
nouns
ease
and
com-
fort).
Some
of
the
links
are
less
than
perfect:
for
instance,
Web-
ster's
Second
lists
dark
as
a
synonym
of
black,
but
does
not
list
black
as
a
synonym
of
dark.
The
topiC
of
synonym
chains
is
also
mentioned
in
A.
K.
Dewdney'
s
August
1987
"Computer
Recreations"
column
in
Scientific
American
magazine.
He
report
s
work
by
Ron
Hardin,
a
research
scientist
at
the
Murray
Hill,
New
Jersey
branch
of
Bell
Telephone
Labora-
tories,
who
used
a
digital
computer
to
construct
several
thousand
synonym
chains
based
on
The
New
Collins
Thesaurus.
Apparently
the
Collins
definition
of
a
synonym
is
looser
than
the
Websterian
one,
for
Hardin
I s
chains
are
typically
only
a
few
steps
long
(four
to
seven
for
the
ten
examples
given
in
the
article,
but
the
"great
majority"
are
no
longer
than
three).
1t
is
time
to
introduce
a
greater
degree
of
exactness
and
rigor
to
such
investigations.
Specifically,
it
is
desirable
to
restrict
a
synonym
chain
to
a
single
dictionary;
further,
one
should
take
into
account
that
synonym
chains
are
not
necessarily
reversible,
and
construct
a
chain
not
only
leading
from
Word
A
to
Word
B,
but
a
second
one
leading
from
Word
B
to
Word
A
to
complete
the
demonstration
of
synonymy.
We
illustrate
what
can
be
done
by
us-
ing
the
Merriam-Webster
Collegiate
Dictionary,
Ninth
edition,
re-
stricting
ourselves
to
boldface
adjectives
flush
left
in
the
column.
Such
adjectives
have
two
types
of
synonyms
listed:
1)
Synonyms
introduced
at
the
end
of
the
entry,
indented
a
sin-
gle
spa
followed
are
in
t
by
a
sil
two-way-
A,
then
2)
Synonym
tals
fol"
numbere,
two-way
Word
B
is
proba
In
the
folIo
a
nd
two-way
true-just=fa
false-unwisE
real-ge
bad-poor-me
cunnin~
good=clever~
sharp-t
incorre,
light-bright
da
rk=obscur
Several
ques
ble
to
constr
Second,
do
t
quest
ions
mi.
tal
computer
in
H'.3.chine-r,
More
genel
onyms,
with
a
small
pac
apart,
in
tl
word
with
tr
mum-length
(
{These
wordE
sential
for
a
The
examp
similar
ques
with
their
di
pf2

Partial preview of the text

Download Synonym Chains: Exploring the Limits of Synonymy with Dmitri Borgmann and Merriam-Webster and more Summaries English Language in PDF only on Docsity!

WEBSTER IAN SYNONYM CHAINS

A. IWSS ECKLER

Morristown, New Jersey

In Beyond Language (Scribner's, 1967), Dmitri Borgmann presents two synonym chains in "Beauty in Ugliness" on pages 38-9 and 191: black~dark-obscure-hidden-concealed-snug-comfortable-easy simp le-pu re-wh i te ugl y-offen s i ve-ins u 1 tin g-insolen t-p roud-lordly-st a tely-grand gorgeous-bea ut iful

1 n each chain, each word 1S alleged to be a synonym of the one immediately preceding or folloWing it, yet the ends of the chain are opposites. He doesn't specify his sources for synonymy, other than "dictionary investigation". The first chain can be constructed using a combination of the Merriam-Webster Second and Third edi tions, although neither one alone suffices: Webster's Third does not allow bl ack-da rk, snug-concealed, or pure-White as synonyms, and Webster's Second does not allow pure-simple, simple-easy, or easy-comfortable (although it does equate the nouns ease and com fort). Some of the links are less than perfect: for instance, Web ster's Second lists dark as a synonym of black, but does not list black as a synonym of dark. The topiC of synonym chains is also mentioned in A. K. Dewdney' s August 1987 "Computer Recreations" column in Scientific American magazine. He report s work by Ron Hardin, a research scientist at the Murray Hill, New Jersey branch of Bell Telephone Labora tories, who used a digital computer to construct several thousand synonym chains based on The New Collins Thesaurus. Apparently the Collins definition of a synonym is looser than the Websterian one, for Hardin I s chains are typically only a few steps long (four to seven for the ten examples given in the article, but the "great majority" are no longer than three). 1t is time to introduce a greater degree of exactness and rigor to such investigations. Specifically, it is desirable to restrict a synonym chain to a single dictionary; further, one should take into account that synonym chains are not necessarily reversible, and construct a chain not only leading from Word A to Word B, but a second one leading from Word B to Word A to complete the demonstration of synonymy. We illustrate what can be done by us ing the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Ninth edition, re stricting ourselves to boldface adjectives flush left in the column. Such adjectives have two types of synonyms listed:

  1. Synonyms introduced at the end of the entry, indented a sin

lOl

gle space and introduced by the italic letters syn. This is followed either by a series of words in small capitals which a re in turn sepa ra tel y discussed, or by t he word see, followed by a single word in small capitals. These synony~are always two-way--that is, if Word B is listed after syn under Word A, then Word A is listed after syn under Word ~

  1. Synonymous cross-references, one or more words in small capi tals following a boldface colon. These may appear among the numbered definitions of the boldface adjective. They may be two-way, but most frequently are only one-way--that is, if Word B is a synonymous cross-reference of Word A, word A is proba bly not a synonymous c~oss-reference of Word B.

ln the following examples, one-way synonyms are indicated by and two-way ones by =.

t rue-j ust=fa ir=bea utifu l=pretty-artful-a rt ificia l-sham-fa lse fa lse-unwise-fool ish=simple-uncond it ion a 1- a bsol u te-posi t i ve real-genuine-true bad-poor-mean-penurious=s t ingy=close-secret =fu rt i ve=sl y= cu n n i n g =c1 ever= good good=c leve r=cun n i n g =s ly =fu rt i ve=secre t -t ic k lis h-c ri t i ca l-a c u te= sha rp-h a rsh =rough-indel ica te=indecorous=improper i ncorrec t -w ron g-s in fu l-wicked=ev i l:=- ba d 1 ight-brigh t-cleve r=cunn ing=sl y=furt i ve=secret-h idden-obsc urec:=da rk da rk=obsc u re=va gue-v aca n t=empty-fool ish=simp le=ea sy=l igh t

Several questions immediately present themselves. First, is it possi ble to construct a single two-way synonym chain between opposites? Second, do the above chains exceed the minimum-length ones? Both questions might profitab"ly be investigated with the aid of a digi tal computer (Webster's Collegiate, with definitions, is available in ;r-achine-reada bie form). More generally, one can conceive of a directed network of syn onyms, with thousands of entries, of which the chains above are a small part. What two words in such a network are the farthest apart, in the sense that the minimum chain connecting the first word with the second is as long as or longer than any other mini mum-length chain connecting any other two words in the network? (These words need not be antonyms, of course.) A computer is es sential for answering such a question. The examples given above are adjective chains, but one can ask similar questions about adverb, noun, or verb cha ins, together wit h their directed networks.