Modeling of Russian synonym semantics in a conceptual dictionary (on the basis of dictionary entries of synonymic sets with emotive semantics)

The article deals with Russian synonyms considered in lexicographical parameters. Much attention is given to the results of modeling the semantics of Russian synonyms in the structure of the Large Dictionary of Russian Synonyms, the first volume of which was published, the other three are being prepared for publication. Each entry in the dictionary includes several synonym sets, which are semantically close; the sets consist of the words of different categorial and semantic characteristics. The research is carried out on the basis of two synonym sets of words with the domain SPOKOISTVIE [calmness]. Both sets are included in the same ideographic group, but are elements of two different micro-groups, named “Calmness as a Condition” and “Calmness as an Emotional Quality”. The selection is caused by the need to compare semantically close synonym sets in order to discover and represent their similarities and differences during the semantic analysis process. The structure of the dictionary entry has a semantic part, where the interpretation of standard semantics is made by a certain formal model which is inherent in a synonym set on the whole as well as the interpretation of individual semantics of every word belonging to the synonym set. Thus, the description of the synonym semantics possesses the feature of multidimensionality. A range of methods, based on the structural-semantic and cognitive (the theory of prototypes) approaches, is used in different dictionary zones. In the context of these methods, the main principles of representing synonym semantics in lexicographical properties were developed, the structures of dictionary entries and of synonym definitions structure were modeled. A special emphasis was put on the modeling of the structure of dictionary zones which display the semantics of synonym sets and words in the sets differently. There are three zones for each synonym set in the dictionary entry assigned for lexicographical parametrization of the semantics of the set. Standard semantics of synonym sets in general and individual lexical semantics of their members are interpreted separately. There are two zones in the dictionary entry, “Semantic Idea” and “Prototype”, which are used for the representation of the synonym set. Individual lexical semantics of synonyms is described in the “Semantic Similarities and Differences” zone. Each area has its own model of synonyms considered from different standpoints. Tentatively speaking, the semantics of a synonym set is organized vertically (from the semantic concept and the prototype of the set in general to every specific synonym) and horizontally (in the modeling of the semantics of the set units based on the identified semantic concept and prototype).

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