Focalization as a criterion for analysis of synonyms

La focalisation comme critère d’analyse de synonymes

Lidia Lebas-Fraczak (1)

1 LRL - Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Langage

We consider synonymy as a phenomenon involving simultaneously paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations between signs, and we consider synonyms as lexical units that can be substituted for each other within a given type of linguistic context. After a brief historical overview of approaches to synonymy, we put forward a hypothesis that semantic shades opposing synonyms may be described via an “attentional” criterion, rather than referential ones. As illustration, we analyze three French verbs: jouer, interpréter and incarner in the contexts “X plays the role of Y (in a film or play)”, showing that each verb focalizes a different aspect of the reference.

Mots clés: semantics; synonymy; focalization

Mots clés: sémantique; synonymie; focalisation

Domaines: Linguistique

Lidia Lebas-Fraczak. La focalisation comme critère d’analyse de synonymes. Orbis Linguarum, Wroclaw, 2018, En quête du sens, 50, pp.115-125. ⟨hal-01906524⟩