Seminar 2.

2.4. Exercises

1) Divide the following words into the component morphemes. Use hyphens and the traditional

spelling, according to the model:

MODEL: enlighten en - light - en

a) impoverish i) utilitarianism

b) anticipative j) catchword

c) anticlimatical k) impermeability

d) dishearten l) vertebrally

e) burlesquely m) downtowner

f) dishonestly n) telescopic

g) undeceivable o) sanitize

h) wholesaler p) volubility

2) Divide the words into their constituent morphemes, specifying the nature of each morpheme,

according to the model.

MODEL: impersonalism: im- = prefix, person = noun stem, -al = suffix, -ism = suffix

a) foolishly i) glove maker

b) multinational j) trans-European

c) deepen k) vulgarism

d) rosy l) non-didactic

e) beautify m) preconceivable

f) industrialization n) post-modernism

g) ex-president o) overdone

h) impressionism p) underestimated

3. List the types of morphemes and give examples for each of them.

4. Analyse the following words in terms of roots, stems, lexical suffixes, grammatical suffixes and

prefixes. Indicate the order in which morphemes appear within words.

MODEL: disagreements

a) agree = root; -ment = lexical (derivational) suffix; -s = grammatical (inflectional) suffix;

dis- = prefix; disagreement = stem;

b) agree + -ment; dis- + agreement; disagreement + -s.

uneatable, productiveness, transformational, indecipherability

5. Some derived words consist of an affix attached to a root which is itself a word, i.e. a free

morpheme (e.g. (i)). In other cases the root is a bound morpheme (e.g. (ii)).

(i) Word + affix [[read]V er]N

(ii) Root + affix [[electric]Aity]N (the root electris- never appears as a word on its own).

For each of the nine relationships given below provide two affixes (prefixes or suffixes) which

express that category relationship. Choose your affixes such that one attaches to free morpheme

roots and the other to bound morpheme roots. For each affix give at least 2 words containing that

affix with the given function. This means that you have to provide 18 affixes and 36 words.

N → V V → N A → N

N → A V → A A → V

N → N V → V A → A

(Hint: try looking through a book or newspaper and analysing all the words you suspect of being

derivationally complex).

6. Take a dictionary of English and collect all the words beginning with im- / in-. Check whether

im- / in- is a morpheme for each of your words. For instance, comparing input with output, you

should conclude that in- is a morpheme, whereas it would seem considerably harder to find

evidence that in- is a morpheme in inane.

a) How many distinct (homonymous) im-/ in- are there?

b) Why is input misspelled (as imput) so often?

7. Consider carefully the words in (a -c). To what extent do the words in a given list contain the

same morpheme?

a) analysis, anabasis, anachronism, analogy, anaconda, anabaptist, anarchy, anorak.

b) nominal, nominate, gnomic, nomic, nomenclature, noun.

c) pedal, peduncle, pediform, p(a)ederast, p(a)edagogue, peddle, pedant.

8. List 2 different verbs formed by attaching prefixes to each of the following bound bases:

-ceive, -duce,--fer, -fine, -form, -ject, -mand, -port, -scribe, -serve, -side, -spect, -spire, -sume, -tract,

-trude, -vert, -vade.

9. Draw labelled trees to show the structure of the following words:

motherhood, shoemakers, unputdownable, re-examining, shop-lifted, underprivileged,

unnaturalness, dislocation, unclassifiable.

10. Analyze the words in sets (a-c) into their component morphemes. What problems do these

words present?

a) conceptual, criminal, managerial, professorial, residual, tidal.

b) anthropocentric, gastro-enteritis, Graeco-Roman, gynecologist, hypothetico-deductive,

misanthropist, misogynist, politico-economic.

c) Congolese, Javanese, Mancunian, Panamanian, Peruvian.

9. Complete:

An Adj P (adjectival phrase) consists of ............ and a possible .............. . An .......................consists

of an adverb and a ................... . A PP (prepositional phrase) consists of a noun phrase and

a ....................

10. What do AdjP, AdvP and PP have in common?

Seminar 3.

3.3. Exercises

1. What people inhabited the British Isles before the coming of the Anglo-Saxons?

2. Where did the Anglo-Saxons live on the Continent?

3. What was the influence of the Scandinavian settlement on the English language?

4. What was the chief influence of the Norman Conquest on the English language?

5. Divide the words into sets according to their meanings (e.g. domestic, household articles, etc.).

Consider what these sets of borrowed words might suggest about the relationship between the

Germanic tribes and the Romans.

Latin OE ModE Latin OE ModE

balteus belt belt mulus mul mule

benna bin bin patina panne pan

episcopus biscop bishop pisa pise pease/pea

butyrium butere butter pulvinus pyle pillow

cattus catt cat pinna pinn pin

calx cealc chalk pipa pipe pipe (musical)

caseus cese cheese puteus pytt pit

cuprum copor copper prunum plume plum

cuppa cuppe cup papaver popig poppy

discus disc dish pondo pund pound (weight)

furca forca fork bursa purs purse

uncia ynce inch Saturni (dies) Sæternes (dæg) Satur(day)

catillus cetel kettle secula sicol sickle

cucina cycene kitchen strata stræt street

milea mil mile tegula tigele tile

molinum mylen mill telonium toll toll (tax)

moneta mynet mint vallum wall wall

mortarium mortere mortar (vessel) vinum win wine

6. Use an atlas of England to identify towns and villages with place-names ending in the

Scandinavian suffixes:

a) –by (‘town, farm’)

b) –thorp (e) (‘village’)

c) -thwaite (‘piece of land’)

d) –toft (‘piece of loand’).

If you find a sufficient number, and mark them on a blank map, you should find good evidence of

the extent of the Danelaw.

7. Below are four versions of one text. They date from 980, 1380, 1611, 1961.

a) Match the letters of the texts with the dates:

980 (Old English)

1380 (Middle English)

1611 (Early Modern English)

1961 (Modern English)

b) List some differences in vocabulary.

(A) Now his elder sonne was in the field, and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard

musicke & dauncing, and he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he

said onto him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calfe, because he hath

received him safe and sound.

(B) SoÞlice his yldra sunu waes on aecere; and he com, and Þa he Þam huse genealaehte, he

gehyrde Þaene sweg and ÞQt wered. Þa clypode he anne Þeow, and acsode hine hwaet ÞQt awere.

Þa cwaeÞ he, Þin broÞor com, and Þim faeder ofsloth an faett cealf, forÞam Þe he hine halne

onfeng.

(C) Forsoth his eldere sone was in the feeld, and whanne he cam and neighede to the hous, he herde

a symfonye and a croude. And he cleipide oon of the seruantis, and axide what thingis thes weren.

And he seide to him, Thi brodir is comen, and thi fadir hath slayn a fat calf, for he resseyued him

saf.

(D) Now the elder son was out on the farm; and on his way back, as he approached the house, he

heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what it meant. The servant told

him, "Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him

back safe and sound”.

8. Explain the existence in English of such sets as:

rise - mount - ascend

holy - sacred - consecrated

fire - flame - conflagration

9. The following list contains words of Anglo-Saxon origin. Find French synonyms for them.

big doom front instead smell

calm dream happiness jail speech

craving easy hearty leave spell

clumsy faithful help life whim

deed freedom holy purpose whole

deep friendship hut shade work

10. Below you will find a number of English words. Give their Latin synonyms:

alike empty bad rudeness

alive end happy shelter

big endless height stillness

brotherhood fat helper stubborn

dead first hence teacher

daily funny young twin

earthy good man wizard

11. Here are some English nouns. Find the Latin adjectives corresponding to them.

heaven mother town

house mind winter

letter ox worm

12. In English one may come across sets of three synonyms of Anglo-Saxon, French and Latin

origin. It is assumed that the Anglo-Saxon terms are popular, the French ones are literary, and the

Latin learned. Try to find the French and the Latin synonyms for the following Anglo-Saxon terms:

anger huge unclear

friendly lively weariness

goodness sure to defeat

hidden true to link

13. Below is a list of English words all of which were originally borrowed from foreign languages.

Try and guess which language is the source of each word.

drama, mosquito, confetti, cosmonaut, chauffeur, psychology, duvet, origami, algebra, hamburger,

cobra, piano, kindergarten, mattress, siesta, mammoth, hara-kiri, marmalade, kayak, soprano,

cafeteria, ballet, tulip, palaver, kangaroo, tea, tsunami, khaki, ukulele, denim, sauna, ski, yacht,

waltz.

Seminar 4.

4.7. Exercises

A. Regional varieties.

1. Select one item from the brackets to put in the sentence, so as to produce true statements.

a) Linguistically, .................English is a .................variety of the language (British /American/

Scottish /Canadian; regional/older/provincial).

b) One particular regional variety is ........ to the others in every respect, and none need be regarded

as ......... (superior / inferior / equally related / equivalent / equal).

c) The difference between one regional variety and another is most noticeable in ........., and least of

all in ......... (grammar / lexicon / phonology / vocabulary).

d) The same features of ...........English may be found in more than one of its ............forms (dialectal

/ educated / uneducated / standard / officially recognised).

e) There is ............... single standard form of English, but we find very much/considerable .............

in matters of ............ and even a remarkable lack of .................... in ..................... and vocabulary (a

/ an / no / divergence / uniformity / grammar / spelling / pronunciation / standardization).

2. Give the British equivalents for the following American terms:

American British American British

gas/gasoline sidewalk

baby carriage sneakers

druggist checkers

curb first floor

subway second floor

center station wagon

truck trunk

labor hood

mailman atomizer

can-opener elevator

ashcan derby (hat)

3. Find the American equivalents for the following British terms:

British American British American

jumble sales flat

tin staircase

sweets shares (in a bank)

crisps chips

coffins trousers

bill biscuits

railway luggage

angry

4. Here are a couple of American terms and their British equivalents:

AmE BrE. AmE BrE

cable telegram diaper nappy

apartment flat fall autumn

vacation holiday band aid plaster

purse bag cookies biscuits

drug store chemist freeway motorway

check bill bill note (paper money)

elevator lift candy sweets

faucet tap tick-tack-toe noughts and crosses

Now, change these sentences from American into British English:

a. Can you go to the drugstore, honey? We need some diapers for the baby and band-aid for my

finger.

b. Last fall I was driving along a freeway when I ran out of gas. Luckily a truck driver stopped and

gave me a ride.

c. Our apartment is quite near the subway station.

d. They sent a cable inviting us to spend our Christmas vacation with them

e. It's my turn to pay the check. Pass me the purse. I've got a $20 bill in it.

5. Can you give the British 'translation' of the following Australian expressions?

Australian British

Wanna cuppa?

Go and tart yourself up!

How ya goin' luv?

Don't get your knickers in a knot!

What's the latest goss?

The old man's shot through.

Could I bot a fag?

Grouse lippy!

6. Read the following fragment from Hard Times, by Charles Dickens. Write out a transcription of

the dialect speech in Standard English.

«Stephen Blackpool

'Now, what do you complain of?' asked Mr. Bounderby.

"I ha' not coom here, Sir,' Stephen reminded him, 'to complain. I coom for that I were sent for.'

'What,' repeated Mr. Bounderby, folding his arms, 'do you people, in general way, complain of?'

Stephen looked at him with some little irresolution for a moment, and then seemed to make up his mind.

'Sir, I were never good at showin' o 't, though I ha' had'n my share in feeling o 't. 'Deed we are in a muddle, Sir. Look

round town - so rich as 'tis - and see the numbers o' people as has been broughten into bein heer, fur to weave, an' to

card, an' to piece out a livin', aw the same one way, somehows, 'twixt their cradles and their graves. Look how we live,

an' wheer we live, an' in what numbers, an' by what chances, and wi' what sameness; and look how the mills is awlus a

goin, and how they never works us no nigher to onny dis' ant object -ceptin awlus, Death. Look how you considers of us,

and writes of us, and talks of us, and goes up wi' yor deputations to Secretaries o' State 'bout us, and how you are awlus

right, and how we are awlus wrong, and never had'n no reason in us sin ever we were born. Look how this ha' growen

an' growen, Sir, bigger an' bigger, broader an' broader, harder an' harder, fro year to year, fro generation unto generation.

Who can look on 't, Sir, and fairly tell a man 'tis not a muddle?»

B. Functional varieties

6. Using the functional differentiation made in chapter 4, determine the features of the following

texts, on the basis of the given model.

MODEL:

text register level medium

a. scientific neutral written

a) Florida. This finger pointing downward towards the Caribbean is held by some to be a colony of Cuba, by others, a

paradise of senior citizens' colonies ('eventide homes'), and people who believe in 'life, liberty and happiness of pursuit'.

It is said that it was a Florida hospital patient who, when approached by a young intern wielding a hypodermic needle

and explaining' 'Just a little prick with a needle', said, 'I know you are, but what are you going to do with the needle?'

(From David Frost & Michael Shea: The Mid-Atlantic Companion, p. 22)

b) Let us cool the liquid still further and watch it solidify, still at the same magnification as before. As be abstract more

heat the molecules, moving ever more slowly, are pulled closer together, and the liquid contracts. At length the

molecules are so close that they can no longer pass between one another. The intermolecular force pulls them together

so that they form a regular pattern. Something similar can be seen if some marbles in the corner of a box are gently

shaken. In this way the irregular arrangement of molecules in gas or liquid is replaced by regular arrangement in a

crystal. Such a regular arrangement is known as a space lattice, i.e. a lattice in three dimensions, as contrasted with the

flat lattice or trellis common in gardens. (From A Structural Introduction to Chemistry, E.T. Harris quoted

in Moody, H.L.B: Varieties of English, p.151)

c) Despite the recent and expensive failure of his latest West End play, Jeffrey Archer is not noticeably down and a

considerable distance from out. With Kane and Able having sold over three million copies in England and the

paperback 2ot a Penny More, 2ot a Penny Less continuing to nip smartly out of the bookshops at the rate of a thousand

copies a day, fifteen years after its first publication, he has little real reason to be permanently dispirited.

It's common knowledge that literature is not his first love. He only started writing in his mid-thirties, when a promising

political career collapsed and he resigned a safe seat in Parliament amid business and financial difficulties which would

have crushed most men for good. The legend that he wrote his first novel with the cold-blooded intention of making a

fortune is, however, only a legend. (From Susan Morris and Alan Stanton: Practice Tests for CAE, p.75.)

d) I hardly ever take holidays but fourteen years ago I was pressurised into going to the Costa Smeralda with my wife

and son. I enjoyed the first day: I hired a boat, sat in the sun for about twenty minutes and had tea on the veranda. By

the second the novelty of doing nothing had worn off. I love the bustle of towns and my excitement comes from

working. I can't stand people who appear lazy. All I could see were people sitting and frying in the sun. I got very

agitated: the holiday was turning into a nightmare and we went home immediately. My wife and son were not upset

because they know my nature.

e) Here's a heartening scenario for unsigned would-be recording artists: A talented but unknown singer sends a self-

produced demo tape to the offices of a major music conglomerate. As luck would have it, an enterprising executive

plucks the demo from the heap of unsolicited and largely unheard tapes submitted by other anonymous hopefuls, and

voilà! Gabriela Anders is wanting no longer. The daughter of an Argentine jazz saxophonist, Anders began performing

in Buenos Aires at 14. Now 26 and a transplant to New York City, she infuses her music with jazz, gentle Latin rhythms

and moments of elegant vocal phrasing. This easy-listening collection of her own tunes about desiring, getting, losing

and regaining love - and an appealing cover of the 1964 bosa nova hit "The Girl from Ipanema" - marks an especially

promising U.S. recording debut. (From People magazine, October 26, 1998, p.40)

f) The "Clutch". This is invariably installed between the engine and gearbox and is almost always mounted directly on

the output end of the engine, though occasionally both it and the gearbox are incorporated in the final drive unit. The

clutch is always foot operated, the pedal being linked either by a direct mechanical linkage or, very often nowadays, by

a hydraulic system, similar to that of hydraulic brakes. The latter method facilitates the accommodation of the

considerably transverse movement of rubber mounted engines. (From The Penguin Car Handbook by Robert

Ireson, quoted in Moody, H.L.B: Varieties of English, p 153)

7. Find examples of interference of your mother tongue (Romanian / Hungarian / German) with the

English language at the phonological, grammatical and lexical level.

Seminar 5.

A. PREFIXES

1. Use one of the following prefixes: dis-, il-, im-, in-, ir-, un- with each of the following words:

a) attentive f) honest k) natural

b) aware g) literate l) practicable

c) cautious h) logical m) relevant

d) discreet i) loyal n) resolute

e) fortunate j) modest o) respectful

2. Analyse the following words built by prefixation according to the scheme:

THE WORD PHONEMIC TRANSCRIPTION MEANING

a) decadence

b) debar

c) distract

d) distort

e) subdivision

f) superpose

g) superman

h) ultra-modern

3. Here are some of the most productive class-changing prefixes: a-, be-, en-. Form new words by

adding these prefixes to the following words. Give the translation of the resulting words or use them

in sentences or your own.

blaze, calm, glaze, slave, sleep, spatter, moan, tomb, jewel, friend, witch, snare.

4. Identify which of the following stems can be used with the antonymic prefixes sub- and super-,

according to the model:

MODEL: lieutenant sublieutenant .................

sonic subsonic supersonic

cool ................... supercool

a) saturate g) plot

b) normal h) critical

c) sensitive i) ordinate

d) sequence j) man

e) parasite k) conscious

f) arctic l) merge

5. Check which of the following stems can be used with the antonymic prefixes pre- and post-,

using the same pattern as in the previous exercise:

a) doctoral j) impressionism

b) war k) traumatic

c) cancel l) condition

d) historic m) natal

e) tension n) election

f) arrange o) colonial

g) nuptial p) position

h) atomic q) glacial

i) clinical r) median

6. Give the English equivalents of the following Romanian words by using prefixation.

a) venit; b) prorector; c) a schiţa; d) şperaclu; e) miezul nopţii; f) neprescurtat; a scădea; h) cuvânt

înainte; i) proscris; j) prenume; k) prevedere; l) bicentenar; m) a retrage; n) răscopt; o) a expulza.

7. Fill in the missing words in the following sentences by combining the verb in capital letters at the

end of each sentence with a suitable adverb-particle (in, by, out, down, up, etc.) used as a prefix.

a) There was a heavy ............. yesterday afternoon which completely ruined our party. POUR

b) The new ............. has made things a lot easier in the town centre since it has taken away all the

through-traffic. PASS

c) He was very ................ when his cat was run over. SET

d) The ............... for tomorrow's weather is very promising. LOOK

e) The annual ................ of students has decreased by 2o% in the last two years. TAKE

f) The ................ of the election is still not known. COME

g) The .............. of this disease is marked by a sudden loss of appetite coupled with a feeling of total

lethargy. SET

h) Wine, women and song were my brother's ................ . FALL

i) He felt very ................ when she refused to go out with him. CAST

8. Choose from among the negative prefixes un-, in-, dis-, de-, non-, according to the example:

EXAMPLE: welcome - unwelcome; alcoholize - dealcoholize

a) competence; b) active; c) grade; d) qualified; e) usual; f) proportion; g) abridged; h) likely; i)

passionate; j) distinct; k) block; l) verbal; m) experienced; n) kind; o) dramatic; p) regard; q)

academic; r) place; s) dependence; t) consistent; u) figurative; v) eruptive.

B. SUFFIXES

9. Use the suffixes -able, -ate, -ful, -ish, -ive, -less, -like, -ly, -y to form adjectives from the

following nouns:

a) secret; b) family; c) cad; d) affection; e) hair; f) honour; g) lady; h) shame; i) death.

10. The suffixes -er, -or, -ant, -ist form nouns that name people or things that do something, e.g. a

pianist is someone who plays the piano. Now state what each of the following does: driver,

economist, reflector, tourist, speaker, applicant, inhabitant, grinder, narrator, occupant, cyclist,

investigator, dramatist, navigator, radiator, tenant, excavator, specialist, fighter, attendant.

11. The endings -ment, -ion, -ence, -ance, are added to verbs to form abstract nouns meaning 'the

act of or the result of the act of'. Find out which verb each of the following has been formed from

and point out the changes in spelling that are made when the endings are added: admittance,

recurrence, fascination, arrangement, justification, enlistment, defense, illumination, objection,

entrance, devotion, employment, occurrence, inflation.

12. Abstract nouns ending in -ty mostly come from adjectives. From what adjectives are these

nouns formed: ambiguity, antiquity, sensibility, priority, oddity, anxiety, generosity, hospitality,

rapidity, formality, festivity, captivity, reliability, curiosity?

13. The ending -ness added to adjectives to form abstract nouns is so active that many new nouns in

-ness have been formed even though abstract nouns from the same root already exist, e.g. able,

ability, ableness; candid, candour, candidness. Form abstract nouns with -ness from the following

adjectives, except for the cases where there already exist abstract nouns from the same root: smooth,

kind, various, lovely, brave, generous, rough, sleepy, childish, honest, patient, difficult, holy,

willing, sane, private, anxious, friendly, sincere, draughty, intelligent, homesick, proud, happy.

14. Here are some of the suffixes used to form diminutives: -kin, -y, -en, -let, -ette, -ling, -ie. Use

them to say what each of the following is called:

a) a very young cat; g) a very small kitchen

b) a small flat h) a young goose

c) a tiny river i) a small crown

d) a very young plant j) a small house

e) a baby still being suckled k) a very young lamb

f) a baby bird l) a little pig

15. Form adjectives from the following nouns: poison, grace, defense, humour, power, life, monster,

envy, glory, aim, desire, fury, fun, name, taste, bore.

16. By adding -ous, -ent, -ant, -ed, derive adjectives from the bracketed nouns:

a) She waited without complaining; she was very (patience).

b) That visit wasn't (pleasure).

c) Mary is always (confidence) that she is right.

d) His behaviour was always (courtesy).

e) Tommy was particularly (mischief).

f) I like the privacy of a (fence) garden.

g) It was a (moment) occasion.

17. Find adjectives coming from the following verbs: instruct, attract, relate, persuade, construct,

exclude, avoid, remove, deny, solve, permit, convince, collapse, argue, pity, reserve, extend,

concern.

18. By using suffixes form adjectives from the following proper names, according to the model:

MODEL: Shakespeare Shakespearean Rembrandt Rembrandtesque Mexico Mexican Bonaparte Bonapartist Wagner Wagnerite

Venezuela, Milton, Marlowe, Hemingway, Einstein, Harrow, Prometheus, Lenin, Shaw, Seneca,

Chicago, Pickwick, San Francisco, Dante, Oxford, Darwin, Spencer, Calvin, New Hampshire, Paris,

Jacob, London.

19. The word in capitals at the end of each of the following sentences can be used to form a word

that fits suitably in the blank spaces. Fill each blank in this way.

EXAMPLE: During the war there was a great SHORTAGE of sugar, coffee and other goods.

SHORT

a) There was a lot of ............ this morning as work began on the new supermarket. ACTIVE

b) I can think of ................. reasons for not getting married; but even so, I still want to one day.

COUNT.

c) The lovers stood, hand in hand, gazing at the ............. sky. STAR

d) Thousands of people turned up for the Pop Festival where the big ............ was Bob Dylan.

ATTRACT

e) I'm afraid you'll have to see Mr. Pound. All matters concerning finance are his ..............

RESPONSE

f) I hope there won't be too much .............. in getting a work permit. DIFFICULT

g) How are you getting on with your .................. course in Russian? CORRESPOND

h) What time do you .............. start work? USE

i) There was ice on the pavement which made it very difficult to walk as it was so ................. .

SLIP

j) I don't know what's the matter with Tommy lately. His ................. seems to be getting worse and

worse. BEHAVE

k) No matter how much people would wish it, it is very doubtful whether there will ever be

true ............. EQUAL

l) What ................ do you need to become a doctor? QUALIFY

C. COMPOU0DI0G

20. Compound adjectives may be formed of:

- adj. + '-ing' part. : good-looking, pleasant-sounding;

- adv. + '-ed' part.: well-dressed, badly-behaved, wrongly-addressed;

- noun + '-ed' part.: hand-made, tongue-tied;

- noun + '-ing' part.: heart-breaking, soul-destroying;

- adj. + '-ed' part.: broad-shouldered, long-legged;

- numeral + noun: second- hand, first year (as in a first year student)

Choose from the list above and add some other adjectives to complete the following sentences:

a) A ..................... person is someone who cannot speak easily.

b) A pupil who behaves badly is said to be .............. .............

c) A ...................... job is one that merely breaks your back.

d) A .................. writer is known by very many people.

e) We call this a ......................... house because it is built of bricks.

f) A ................... girl is one who has fair hair.

g) Jane is ..................... because her clothes fit well and look nice.

h) A burglar has to be .................. as well as ................. .

i) .......................... letters cannot be delivered at the right house.

j) A ..................... letter is one that has been written with care.

k) .....................cakes are cakes that have been made at home.

21. Find in column B the right definition of the compound adjectives in column A:

A B

a. long-headed 1. generous with money

b. soft-hearted 2. clever, shrewd and far-sighted

c. down-hearted 3. of strict and rigid principles

d. tongue-tied 4. tender by nature

e. cool-headed 5. callous and unfeeling

f. double-minded 6. discouraged and depressed

g. hard-boiled 7. of a mind wavering between two or more

courses of action

h. long-winded 8. of calm judgment

i. open-handed 9. tedious or lengthy in speech or argument

j) straight-laced 10. unable to speak.

22. Compound pronouns/adjectives have a more indefinite character than the simple forms:

Nominative: whoever, whosoever (literary form) - oricine

Possessive: whoseever, whosesoever - al oricărui.

Objective: who(m)soever, who(m)ever - oricărui.

Except for whoever and whoseever, all the other forms are used both as pronouns and adjectives.

Insert whoever, whatever or whichever in the following sentences:

a) I must admit ............... he says is true.

b) You may invite Jane and Jack, and ................ else you like.

c) Here you are the three books treating the problems you told me about. Take .......... you want!

d) He kisses ............... he meets.

e) "What shall we begin with?"

" .....................you like."

23. Translate into English the following sentences, using compound relatives, stating whether they

are used as pronouns or as adjectives:

a) Oricine ar fi ei, trebuie să cunosască regulamentul.

b) Intreabă de ei pe oricine vezi aici.

c) Orice ar spune el, gândeşte-te înainte de a-i răspunde.

d) Nu mă interesează, al oricui este, câinele trebuie vaccinat.

e) Orice spune ea, este pe placul lui.

24. Here you are given the first half of some compound nouns. Try to find words which could be

the other half, thus forming a compound noun.

WORD FIRST CHOICE SECOND CHOICE THIRD CHOICE

School

Water

Fashion

Rain

Index

Tax

25. Translate the following into English using compound nouns:

a) cutremur de pământ; b) maşină de spălat; c) tunsoare; d) apă potabilă; e) revărsat de zori; f)

strângere de mâna; g) păta de sânge; h) camuflaj; i) centură de siguranţă; j) cocoşat; k) trecător.

26. Translate into English, paying special attention to the underlined words:

a) Oficiul poştal era deja închis când am ajuns acolo.

b) Fiul meu vitreg este un pasionat al cuvintelor încrucişate.

c) Pentru un astfel de rol ai nevoie de un machiaj special.

d) Nimic nu este mai frumos decât curcubeul după mai multe zile de ploaie.

e) Ne-am mutat de curând într-un bloc cu încălzire centrală.

f) Ne întâlnim la gară la ora 8 fix.

g) Eşti sigură că ţi-ai lăsat geanta la garderobă?

h) Te rog să cureţi argintăria înainte de sfârşitul săptămânii.

i) A înflorit mărul din curtea din spatele casei noastre.

D. CO0VERSIO0

27. Illustrate the different functions of the following words: matter, fire, stay, mean, top, water,

doctor, face, hand, thought, foot, people.

28. Complete the following sentences using a verb (in an appropriate tense) which denotes a part of

the body:

a) You have no money. ............ the facts. You can't go on spending as though you were a

millionaire.

b) Could you ........... me that book on the table next to you?

c) In the final minutes of the football match, Robson ......... the ball into the back of the net.

d) After his father's death, Tom had to …… the responsibility for his family's debts.

e) She ................ the material gently. It felt as smooth as silk.

f) The bank robber was ................ with a knife and a gun.

g) HUSBAND: "Don't bring me any more bills, I simply can't face them!"

WIFE: "But, darling, I don't want you to face them. I want you to ............ them".

E. CLIPPI0G

29. Identify the words which were clipped in order to form the contracted forms and identify the

type of clipping, distinguishing among aphaeresis (fore-clipping) (FC), syncope (medial clipping)

(MC) and apocope (back-clipping) (BC), according to the model:

MODEL: specs spectacles BC

a) story h) fan

b) cinema i) copter

c) dorm j) hanky

d) max k) cello

e) memo l) telly

f) perm m) pants

g) vamp n) wig

30. Find the full form of the following:

ad, cable, lab, gym, champ, movie, vet, prefab, phone, bus, zoo, bike, flu.

31. Clip the following first names by applying aphaeresis, syncope and apocope, e.g. Elisabeth >

Beth, Liz.

a) Herbert f) Alfred

b) Wilhelmina g) Arabella

c) Theodora h) Christina

d) Octavia i) Dorothy

e) Sylvester j) Robert

F. BLE0DI0G

32. Choose the pairs of words forming blends, according to the model.

MODEL: sneet = snow + sleet

The choice is made from: breakfast, guest, transfer, Oxford, screen, buffalo, pneumatic, cable,

electronics, motor, inflation, Europe, television, beef, American, cattle, resistor, hotel, dictate,

electricity, confound, parachute, star, Baker Street, automat, swell, execute, Indian, phone, cast, fog,

mail, stagnation, aviation, sport, telegram, motorist, dome, dump, troop, cavalcade, African, smoke,

Cambridge, lunch, Waterloo Underground, fish, elegant.

a) Amerind i) Oxbridge q) motel

b) dumbfound j) avionics r) Eurafrican

c) catalo k) smog s) brunch

d) dictaphone l) telescreen t) Bakerloo

e) electrocute m) stagflation u) beefish

f) paratroops n) mailomat v) swellegant

g) guestar o) cablegram w) pneudome

h) sportcast p) transistor x) motorcade.

G. Eponymous words.

33. The words in the following groups share a particular sort of origin. Can you identify the manner

in which they have been created?

a) jodhpurs, magenta, ascot, spa, duffel, blarney, bourbon, limerick, cheddar, cologne, champagne,

china.

b) cardigan, sandwich, silhouette, diesel, leotard, quisling, lynch, boycott, zeppelin

Seminar 6.

1. Etymology is the study of the history of words. Find a good etymological dictionary and

examine how the meanings of the following words have changed over time:

assassin, bead, buxom, clue, cloud, heckle, hysteria, liquor, mess, parasite, saucer, treacle,

weired, worm (source: Radford et al, 1999:272).

2. In some cases, the change in meaning of a word can only be understood in terms of associated

cultural changes or particular historical events. Here are a few examples of such words. Consulting

a good dictionary, try to explain the changes in the meaning of these words.

a. The word car derives from Latin carra ‘two-wheeled cart’.

b. the words electron, electronics and electricity all derive from Greek electron ‘amber’ (petrified

tree rasin)

c. The word book is derived from the name of the beech tree.

d. The word chapel is derived from Latin cappella ‘cloak’.

e. The word money derives from Latin moneta ‘one who admonishes’

f. the word sinister derives from Latin sinister ‘on the left hand side’

g. The names of September and October, the ninth and tenth months of the zear, are derived from

Latin septem ‘seven’ and octo ‘eight’

h. The word charm derives from Latin carmen ‘song’.

(Trask, L.R. 1994:44)

3. Each of the following sentences should seem normal enough. However, in each case, the modern

meaning of the word in italics is quite different from its earlier meaning, and the sentence would be

quite impossible if the word had retained its original meaning. Try to guess the earlier meaning of

the word from the context, and check your guess in a good dictionary which provides earlier

meanings.

a. No animals are allowed in the cockpit.

b. Miss Marple’s knitting wool cannot be a clue.

c. The candidate turned up in a dark blue suit.

d. She is small and slim, but she has a great deal of poise.

e. We arrived at a dusty village in the middle of the desert.

f. Wrapping her cloak tightly about her, she escaped from her escort.

g. The Japanese manufacturers make heavy use of automated factories.

h. The ship’s passengers were quarantined for two weeks.

i. John is a mediocre mountain-climber, but he always makes it to the top.

j. After the break-in, our vegetarian shop was a shambles.

k. She’s painted a lovely blues-and yellow miniature.

A dishevelled old man, bald and toothless, huddled in a doorway. (Trask, L.R. 1994:44)

4. Fill in the blanks with the required nouns forming idiomatic comparisons (similes), and give their

Romanian equivalents.

EXAMPLE: as black as coal = negru ca taciunele

a) as bold as................. n) as pale as..............

b) as timid as ............ o) as green as.............

c) as deaf as................ p) as dead as...............

d) as good as............... q) as mad as...............

e) as hard as .............. r) as right as...............

f) as large as............... s) as tall as.................

g) as changeable as ........ t) as blind as...............

h) as drunk as................ u) as steady as...........

i) as old as .................. v) as obstinate as........

j) as slippery as............. w) as cool as .............

k) as thin as ................. x) as like as................

l) as proud as ............... y) as wise as .............

m) as quiet as .............. z) as light as..............

You will need to choose from the following nouns: eel, mole, lord, post, lion, lath, feather, mule,

grass, peas, cucumber, rock, life, gold, peacock, serpent, death, weather, grave, fish, hare, hills,

mutton, rain, hatter, nails.

5. Metaphors. Very often a phrase or expression with a highly specific meaning comes to be used

as a metaphor and hence to be used in a much wider sense. Here are a few examples, all of nautical

origin. Consulting a good dictionary, explain the shift in meaning.

a) There’ll be the devil to pay.

b) He nailed his colours to the mast.

c) We’re in the doldrums.

d) I didn’t like the cut of his jib.

e) The opportunity has gone by the board.

f) We gave him a wide berth.

g) She took the wind out of his sails. (Source: Trask, R.L., 1994:44)

6. Quantitative hendiadys

Fill in the blanks with the required terms to form phrases using paired words. Give their Romanian

equivalents.

EXAMPLE: bag and baggage = cu tot calabalacul, cu căţel şi purcel

You will need the following words: face, fast, have-nots, parcel, starts, near, then, key, ready,

again, ends, turn, crook, dislikes, wide, tired, short, later, money, worse, sound, wholesale, soul,

less, swim, void, low.

a) part and............................ n) the likes and.........................

b) safe and ........................... o) sooner or .............................

c) face to .............................. p) for better or .........................

d) under lock and.................. q) by hook or by ......................

e) the twist and..................... r) retail or .................................

f) hard and ........................... s) not for love, nor....................

g) odds and .......................... t) by fits and .............................

h) rough and ........................ u) heart and ..............................

i) every now and................... v) sink or ..................................

j) the haves and .................... w) high and ..............................

k) sick and ........................... x) more or ...............................

l) far and .............................. y) null and ...............................

m) the long and the ........of it

7. Give the Romanian equivalents of the following impersonal idiomatic phrases:

a) it is bad manners k) it goes like clockwork

b) it is bad taste l) it gets on one's nerves

c) it is a matter of taste m) it affects one very much

d) it irks me n) it slips somebody's notice

e) it does not pay o) it is anything but pleasant

f) it is no fun p) it is just the other way round

g) it is a piece of luck q) it is all the same to me

h) it is worth (while) r) it would melt the hardest heart

i) it is most likely s) it is hard to say

j) it is manifestly wrong t) it's no use (to)

8. On the left is a list of words which have undergone substantial changes of meaning during the

last few centuries; on the right is a list of their former meanings in a different order. Can you match

each word with its former meaning?

a. sack 1. ‘understand’

b. prove 2. ‘monk’s costume’

c. skill 3. ‘foolish’

d. disease 4. ‘unrelated’

e. frock 5. ‘feather’

f. wade 6. ‘test’

g. thing 7. ‘strong wine’

h. silly 8. ‘time’

i. reek 9. ‘discomfort’

j. impertinent 10. ‘prayer’

k. fee 11. ‘livestock’

l. boon 12. ‘legal matter’

m. pen 13. ‘smoke’

n. tide 14. ‘go’

o. fond 15. ‘helpless’

Seminar 7.

A0TO0YMY

1. What is the opposite of: dry, strong, rough, thick, hard?

2. Now give the opposite of the following: dry wine, strong cigarette, a rough sea, a thick person,

a hard exercise.

3. Give the opposites of the following: light bag, light wind, light colours, rough texture, rough

area, rough person, rough calculation.

4. What are the possible opposites of the words ‘hard’ and ‘high’ in the following phrases? Which

has the most contextual variation?

high marks hard exam

high opinion hard chair

high building hard journey

high price hard work

high temperature hard person

high winds hard drugs

5. Give the antonyms of the following terms, according to the model:

MODEL: deep -shallow, fair -unfair

weak happiness before right

rise easy storm soft

illness sincerity native fresh

kind white dull remember

whole promise like rich

perfect little save true

shut hate stop north

everyone youth war come

obedient lengthen high above

increase legal good friend

late superior new equal

beautiful hot find life.

6. Find the opposites of the words on the left. Choose from the ones on the right.

a. to lend 1. purchase/buy

b. to vanish 2. decrease

c. to remember 3. defend

d. to hurry 4. deteriorate/get worse

e. to detest 5. arrive

f. to insult 6. appear

g. to sell 7. take one’s time

h. to depart 8. discourage

i. to increase 9. oppose

j. to attack 1o. contract

k. to expand 11. reward

l. to improve 12. forget

m. to punish 13. borrow

n. to support 14. praise

o. to encourage 15. adore

7. What is the opposite of the following words? Use the negative prefixes un-/ in-/ im-/ dis-. If there

is another word that has approximately the same meaning, write that too.

WORD OPPOSITE SIMILAR MEANING

e.g. safe unsafe dangerous

modest

happy

complete

expensive

interesting

important

perfect

friendly

polite

correct

honest

certain

flexible

B. SY0O0YMY

8. Underline the word which is closest in meaning to the first three words in each line:

a. love, like, enjoy hope, hate, adore, raise

b. deceive, fool, cheat swindle, lose, lyre, drop

c. eager, keen, enthusiastic careful, interesting, strong, zealous

d. try, endeavour, attempt undertake, make, construct, prove

e. cunning, crafty, sly careful, artful, queer, inept

f. order, command, dictate claim, steer, decree, desire

g. request, beg, ask assure, entreat, require, wish

h. wealthy, rich, prosperous affluent, noble, destitute, mean

i. dislike, hate, loathe vomit, scour, abhor, stand

j. astonish, amaze, astound favour, bewilder, increase

k. event, result, consequence reason, outcome, substitute

l. weak, feeble, powerless stark, slow, impotent, able

m. kill, slay, assassinate load, slaughter, die, lead off

9. Give a synonym for each of the underlined words in the following sentences. Choose from the

ones below:

giddy hopeless immature amiable

chatty absurd reliable famished

stingy mad disgraceful conscious

intentional pensive weird

a. There is only one way of describing Hitler - he was completely insane.

b. A good friend is someone who is kind, considerate and totally dependable.

c. Our new boss isn't too bad at all. In fact, she's quite likeable, really.

d. You are aware of the fact that he's married, aren't you?

e. I wish you'd grow up! You are so childish.

f. I didn't mean to break it - it wasn't deliberate.

g. That's the last time I go to a party with Simpson! His behaviour last night was absolutely

disgusting.

h. I always get very dizzy when I stand on the top of high buildings.

i. What do you mean you can't afford to buy me a drink? Don't be so mean! You've got a lot more

money than I have.

j. I could eat a horse! I'm really hungry.

k. Take those trousers off - you look ridiculous in them!

l. Our new neighbours are very talkative.

m. You're looking rather thoughtful this morning.

n. We've lost the match! You played like a team of grannies! You were pathetic.

o. Charles has some really peculiar ideas sometimes!

10. Fill in the blanks by choosing from the synonymic series the most adequate terms:

controversy - dispute - debate

a. The question under ................. raised an amendment.

b. Can't you see this problem is beyond any ..............?

a. This ................. cannot be continued any longer.

damage - harm - injury

d. The bombs caused great ................ to the airport.

e. There is no ................... in taking a few pills.

b. Your statement does a(n) .............. to her reputation.

agreement - bargain - contract - convention - pact - treaty

g. The two states have signed their first cultural ........... .

h. The USA have signed several .......... for delivering food to underdeveloped countries.

i. The two leaders did not reach any ...............

j. Military ................ are a permanent danger to the world’s peace.

come - arrive at - reach

k. When does the train .......... the station?

l. Years.......... and go!

m. Through hard work he ........... success.

hold - contain - embody - include

n. The box .............. chocolates.

o. The two characters ................... all virtues and vices.

p. The exhibition ........ some rare manuscripts.

q. The ship ............ 45,000 tons.

11. Decide which word in each of the following groups is significantly different from the others. If

necessary, use your dictionary.

a. to celebrate, to commiserate, to commemorate, to honour

b. to soothe, to startle, to alarm, to frighten

c. to inflame, to douse, to extinguish, to smother

d. a symbol, a sign, a password, a logo

e. a phantom, a spirit, a ghost, a premonition

f. a mutiny, an assembly, an insurrection, a rebellion (Gold Advanced, 22)

12. Here is a newspaper article, in which the writer complains about the use of euphemistic

language. The euphemisms have been blanked out, and given below the text. Match them to the

correct place in the article.

STOP BEI"G COY

I will die – not “pass away”

I am an old cripple, drawing an old-age pension, working hard to raise vast quantities of

vegetables on an allotment and well aware that, one of these days, I shall die. All this is fact.

If, however, I listen to the voice of officialdom, it turns out that I am a 1............, registered as

2................., drawing a 3..................renting a 4............., and, presumably, immortal because I shall

never die – I shall merely 5................... According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, ‘Euphemisms are considered overtly squeamish and

affected by contemporary writers, unless used for humorous effect.’ This may be so among

cognoscenti but there is little evidence to show that the masses, especially administrators, have

read their encyclopaedia. The clichés which pour from the lips of trade union leaders are endless. 6.’........’ or 7 ‘............’ equals ‘going on strike’ and 8. ‘..............’ equals ‘being bloody minded’

Again quoting the encyclopaedia: a euphemism is a ‘figure of speech in which something of an

unpleasant, distressing, or indelicate nature is described in less offensive terms.’ For example, to

describe George as a sex maniac might not endear you to Auntie Mabel but she would be proud to

hear him referred to as a 9.....................

Examples of gross understatement may also appeal to some of us. A native of the Lake District who

describes himself as being ‘nobbut middlin’, is approaching a state of collapse and coma; if he says

he’s ‘proper poorly’, there will be a funeral in the near future.

These more robust euphemisms may, for all I care, stay. But let us, please, do away with the

following: 10. ‘................’ (poor), 11. ‘................’ (ill), 12. ‘.............’ (stupid), 13. ‘...................’ (dole), 14. ‘...............’ (Ministry of War), 15. ‘..............’ (talk), 165 ‘...................’ (pet).

All this effort to avoid unpleasantness is certain to fail, because the euphemism quickly acquires the

stigma of the world it replaced. I, and probably others, do not feel younger because I am called a

‘senior citizen’

Bryan Heath (retired vet)

a) withdrawing our services; b) leisure garden, c) pass away, d) low IQ, e) Ministry of Defence, f) companion animal, g) disadvantaged senior citizen, h) working the rule, i) unemployment benefit, j) disabled, k) manly man, l) under the weather, m) retirement pension, n) lower income brackets, o) taking industrial action, p) have a dialogue (From Headway Advanced, 1994, p.49)

13.How many euphemisms can you find for each of the following words/phrases?

-to kill

-to have sex

-to die

-toilet

C. HOMO0YMY

13. Mark the correct word:

a. Boy / buoy - which floats more frequently?

b. Beach / beech - which one is a tree?

c. Rain / reign / rein - which of them drenches you if you have no umbrella?

d. Cession / session - by which do you agree to give up lands, rights?

e. Bare / bear - which one is a wild animal?

f. Flea / flee - which one means a small, wingless insect that feeds on the blood of human beings

and some animals?

g. Key / quay - which one does a boat come alongside?

h. Cereal / serial - which one might continue next week?

i. Steal / steel - which one is used for knives, tools?

j. Air / heir - which inherits and which is everywhere?

k. Fair / fare - which do you pay on a bus?

l. Pair / pear - which one is a sweet, juicy fruit?

m. Pail/ pale - which one is a vessel for carrying liquids?

n. Bail / bale - which one do you pay to be released from jail?

o. Ascent / assent - which one means 'approval'?

p. Berth / birth - which one is a place for sleeping on a train or ship?

q. Break / brake - which one is a device which causes something else to slow down or stop whether

it is a car or a desire?

r. Complement/ compliment - which one is a praise?

14. Complete the following jokes. The humour depends on homophones in each one.

read/red stories/storeys rains/reins

bean/been bolder/boulder pane/pain

bare/bear allowed/aloud week/weak

a. Waiter, what do you call this?

> It's ........ soup, sir.

I don't care what it's ...... . What is it now?

b. Have you ever hunted ...........?

>No, I always hunt with my clothes on.

c. Why are black clouds like somebody riding a horse?

>Because they both hold the ..............

d. A teacher saw two boys fighting in the playground.

>Stop! You know the school rules - No fighting ............

But, sir, we weren't fighting ...... . We were fighting quietly.

e. What is the effect of seven days dieting?

> They make one ...............

f. Did you hear about the novelist who lived on the ninth floor of a block of flats?

>He dropped six ................... into a wastepaper basket and lived.

g. How can I get rid of my headache?

>Hit your head against a window and the ........ will disappear.

h. Fortune Teller: Would you like your palm ........., sir?

>Man: No, thanks, I like the colour it is now.

j. What did the small shy stone say?

>I wish I was a little ...................

15. In the text below find 40 words that have homophone-pairs; underline them and write the other

word beneath. Make sure to take into account plurals and 3rd person singular Present Tense, as well

as Past Tense - regular verbs and comparatives.

The mayor was sitting in his oaken armchair, mopping his brow with his silk handkerchief. Why

brood about such minor problems? How could such things be lightening the darkness of his

tormenting remorse and doubts that had their root in the inner feeling of guilt that kept haunting

him day and night like a horde of covetous locusts? He would have liked to seize the naked truth

and throw it out if he couldn't bury it deep down in his soul. Above all, he would have given

anything in the world to find out the source of this nightmarish chain of events. His arms lay on the

stationery on his desk without moving as all he could do was just stare at the clock on the mantel

above the fireplace. He felt his heart beat violently in his chest and the sweat yield through all the

pores of his face.

He knew he had to tell his dear and loyal friends so as not to grow mad. His friends who had

always held him in such high esteem! And yet he had to let them know what a curse that damn loot

meant for the bloc, although he knew that the confession could not lessen his grief... He took the

glass of beer he had not touched so far, feeling base and defiled. He had paced beyond the bearable

limit of sufferance on his own and now he had to let it leak out and flee from the country lest

someone should slay him.

16. PUNS

A pun is a play upon words - usually one word with two meanings. For example, a mouse is both an

animal and something you use with a computer. Complete these jokes with puns

present fork fine

pretty ugly atmosphere merry can

change charge poor

a) Have you noticed any ..............in me?

> No! Why?

I've just swallowed some coins accidentally.

b) Some girls think I'm handsome and some girls think I'm horrible. What do you think, Mary?

>A bit of both,................

c) You have to be rich to play golf.

>Then why are there so many ...................players?

d) I think we've just had a puncture.

>How did it happen?

There was a ...................in the road.

e) Well, son, how was your first day at the new school?

>Great! The teacher is going to give me a gift.

How do you know that?

>Well, when I arrived, she pointed to a chair in the corner and said, "Sit over there for

the ............"

f) Why did the two astronauts decide to leave the restaurant on the moon and return to one on

Earth?

>They said it had no.................

g) I'm going to have to put you in a prison cell for the night.

>What's the ................., Officer?

Nothing. It's all part of the service!

h) Why did you park your car on the yellow lines?

>Because the sign says "............FOR PARKING."

i) What do you call a happy tin in the USA?

>A ................................................!.

17. Enjoy the following puns based on polysemy and homonymy.

a. The owner of a luggage shop saw a gigantic elephant standing before the counter. "What do you

want?', he asked. "I'd like to see something new in trunks", answered the elephant.

b. "My grandfather lived to be nearly ninety and never used glasses." "Well, lots of people prefer to

drink from a bottle".

c. "You missed my class yesterday, didn't you?", the professor asked. "Not in the least, sir, not in

the least", answered the student.

d. "I wonder if I can see your mother, my child. Is she engaged?" "Engaged?! She's married!"

e. A man knocked at the door of his neighbours' house, where he was a frequent, but not very

welcome visitor. "Father has gone out", little Paul said, answering the door. "Never mind, I'll speak

to your mother." "She has also gone out, sir." "It's rather cold, I'd like to sit by the fire for a while."

"Impossible, the fire has gone out, too."

f. Young man: "I sent you some suggestions telling you how to make your paper more interesting.

Have you carried out any of my ideas?"

Editor: "Did you meet the office boy with a wastepaper basket as you were coming upstairs?"

Young man: "Yes, I did."

Editor: "Well, he was carrying out your ideas."

g. "So you want to divorce your wife. Aren't your relations pleasant?"

"Mine are, but hers are simply terrible."

h. In the midst of a heated argument, a man rose and shouted with anger: "It's common sense that I

want! Nothing else!" "It's common sense that you want, no doubt," his opponent exclaimed, "and

therefore your opinion should be disregarded."

D. HYPO0YMY

18. Which of the following statements are true?

a) tennis is a hyponym of sport;

b) cucumber and vegetable are co-hyponyms;

c) plant is a superordinate of tree;

d) calf is a hyponym of creature;

e) orange and tomato are co-hyponyms;

f) chess is a hyponym of game;

g) game is a hyponym of sport;

h) poker is a hyponym of sport;

i) bread is a co-hyponym of milk;

j) disease is a superordinate of tuberculosis;

k) swing and toy are co-hyponyms.

On the basis of the answers you provided, try to construct partial taxonomies1. Try to extend these

taxonomies upwards and downwards and point out any difficulties or points of interest that arise.

Seminar 8.

8.3. Exercises

1. Find archaisms (lexical, phonetic and grammatical) in the following fragment from Shakespeare's

Macbeth:

Clean from my hand? 2o, this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,

Making the green one red.

Enter Lady Macbeth.

1 Taxonomy is a structure in which we meet more general terms as we ascend to higher levels.

Lady. My hands are of your color, but I shame

To wear a heart so white. (Knock). I hear a knocking

At the south entry. Retire we to our chamber.

A little water clears us with deed.

How easy it is then! Your constancy

Hath left you unattended. (Knock.) Hark! more knocking.

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion calls us

And show us to be watchers. Be not lost

So poorly in our thoughts.

Macbeth. To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.

Knock.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst.

Exeunt.

2. Can you guess the meanings of the following neologisms? If not, look the words up in a

dictionary.

Note: some of the neologisms are colloquial, some others scientific.

automall, joe, data capture, DDT, golden shares, the shaft, rock and roll, sandwich generation, jet

set, icon, bubble, to awfulize, I'm sideways, to shoot oneself in the foot, rice burner.

3. Find examples of English 'barbarisms' in Romanian.

4. Formal vs. informal (colloquial) English. Here are two jumbled letters. One is written to a hotel,

and the other to a friend. Decide which sentences go with which letter, and put them in the right

order. How does formal English differ from the informal (colloquial) language?

Letter to a friend Letter to a hotel

a) I would like a single room with a shower.

b) I'm writing to ask you a favour.

c) I don't mind where you put me. I'll sleep anywhere!

d) I have a further request.

e) I would like to make a reservation for the nights of 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of January.

f) I hope the above is convenient.

g) Write soon and let me know.

h) I'm coming down to London at the end of the month to go to a conference.

i) Could I have a bite to eat when I arrive?

j) I hope you are all well, and that you've recovered from the busy Christmas period.

k) I would be extremely grateful.

l) Could I possibly have a room at the back, as I find the front rooms rather noisy?

m) Could you put me up for a few days?

n) Just a sandwich will do.

o) I look forward to your reply.

p) It's the 22nd - 24th January.

q) As I will be arriving quite late, could you possibly put a cold buffet in my room on the 22nd?

r) I hope that's right.

s) There's something else I'd like to ask you.

5. For the following examples of formal style, say how they may be expressed in a more neutral

style.

a. Diners are requested to refrain from smoking in this section of the restaurant.

b. Please vacate this seat should an elderly or infirm person require it.

c. Should the goods not meet with your entire satisfaction, please return them starting date and place

of purchase, and we will gladly refund you.

d. In the event of fire, proceed to the nearest exit point.

6. Match the Standard English words with their dialectal equivalents:

Standard Dialectal

a. ear 1. coomb (Wlesh)

b. pumps 2. backend (Northern dialect)

c. to play 3. bairn (Northern dialect)

d. autumn 4. brock (Welsh)

e. child 5. sandshoes (Scottish)

f. badger 6. to lake (Lower Northern dialect)

g. cake 7. tor (Welsh)

h. peak 8. bannock

i. valley 9. lug (Scottish)