Paradigmatic Relations Of Members Of A Lexical-Semantic Group With Graded Semantics

Abstract

This paper considers the paradigmatic relations of members of the lexical-semantic group with the graded semantics of «Names of persons by the command of professional skill» in the English language, which are identified by the aspect description of the graded lexical units of the studied group and their subsequent comparison at the level of semantic characteristics. Differentiation of the dominant characteristic in the structure of lexical meaning according to seminal specifiers allows one to divide the lexical units of the studied lexical-semantic group into the micro groups, to construct the gradation scale of intensity of the dominant characteristic and to describe the antonymous and synonymous paradigms of the members of the studied lexical-semantic group. This paper also presents the distinctive qualities of the category of gradation and describes the main components of the gradation scale. Studies of lexical units in this work were carried out on the basis of complex and systemic methods and approaches to their description and comparison. Also, the authors of this paper developed and applied an algorithm for determining the degree of gradation of antonymous and synonymous paradigms which are included in the lexical-semantic group and formulated distinctive qualities of the category of gradation and described the main components of the gradation scale.