Проблематика й актуальність антонімії в английскій мові

Old - having been in existence or use for a long time.

З дефініції цих слів ми бачимо, що вони є антонімами, так частка NOT є елементом утворення антонімів.

Black - white

The baby's black and nothing can make it white.

Black - of the very darkest colour; the opposite to white.

White - of the very palest colour, like fresh snow or milk.

Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи dark і pale, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.

Cold - warm

Don't keep him too warm ma'am. But be careful that you don't let him be too cold.

Cold - of a low or lower than usual temperature.

Warm - of or at a fairly high temperature.

Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи low і high, тому дані слова є антонімами.

Dead - alive

We like letters to mothers, dead or alive.

Dead - no longer live.

Alive - living, not dead

У дефініції слова alive утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.

Distant - near

It may be near, it may be distant; while the road lasts nothing turns me.

Distant - far away in space or time.

Near - within a short distance of space or time.

Значення даних слів містять протилежні семи far away і short, тому дані слова є антонімами.

Dry - wet

It is difficult enough to fix a tent in dry weather; in wet the task become herculean.

Dry - not wet, damp or sticky.

Wet - covered or soaked with liquid, esp water.

У значенні слова dry утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова будуть антонімами.

False - true

Listening to her, i was beyond knowing whether her insight was true or false.

False - wrong, not correct.

True - rightly called, genuine or sincere.

Значення цих слів містять протилежні семи wrong і right, тому дані слова є антонімами.

Beautiful - ugly

Do you know what it is to be ugly all your life and inside to feel that you are beautiful.

Beautiful - having beauty; giving pleasure to the senses or the mind.

Ugly - unpleasant, esp to look at.

У даному випадку слова pleasure і unpleasant є однокореневими. Слово unpleasant відбулося від слова pleasant + un, а un є негативним префіксом, тому слова ugly і beautiful будуть антонімами.

Female - male

This, of course, to all individuals, of course male and female.

Female - of the sex that can give birth to children.

Male - of the sex that cannot give birth to children.

У значенні слова male утримується негативна частка NOT, що є елементом утворення антонімів, тому дані слова є антонімічної парою.

Ill - well

“I hope Phuong's well,” he said. “I have never known her ill.”

Ill - in an unkind or critical way.

Well - in a kind way.

У даному випадку ill є антонімом слову well. Значення слова ill утримується слово unkind, що відбулося від kind+un, де un є негативним префіксом, що утворить антоніми.

Poor - rich

It is only that he has better means of having it than many others, because he is rich, and many others are poor.

Poor - having very little money with which to buy one's basic needs.

Rich - having a lot of money or property; wealthy.

Дефініції цих слів містять протилежні семи little і a lot, тому дані слова є антонімами.

На підставі вищенаведених прикладів можна зробити висновок, що слова є протилежними, тобто антонімами, якщо їхнього значення містять протилежні семи, негативну частку NOT або негативні префікси un-; in-(il-; im-; ir-;) dis-; суфікс -less. Далі приведені приклади утримують антонімічні пари.

Defence - offence

Best defence is offence.

Today - yesterday

The superstition of today is the science of yesterday.

Good - bad

What's good about not being bad?

Alike - different

It was unbelievable two people could look so much alike and be so completely and utterly different.

Difficult - easy

They were not difficult and for a girl of Roberta's natural grace and zest, easy.

Alike - different

How is it that two people, just a brother and sister, can be so alike and so different?

Despair - hope

Sometimes i hope, my dear, and sometimes i don't quite despair, but nearly.

Dimish - increase

The softness of Dinny's feelings dimished the watchfulness increased.

Drunk - sober

“You are very drunk,” Gwen said. “Sober as a judge,” he said.

Early - late

At first it was too early for the boy to be received into the proper refuge and at last it was too late.

Evil - good

And so the factory came to be regarded as a good thing, not an evil.

Failure - success

Naturally i went to evert a conflict in with success would damage me and failure disable me.

Fast - loose

Surely Fleur would see in the long run that he couldn't play fast and loose.

Fear - hope

A strange conflict of hopes and fears raged within Dinny.

Above - below

One is too far below me ( i mean in her own opinion ), and the other is too high above me.

Absence - presence

To him the presence or absence of his wife's sister was a matter of indifference.

Absolute - relative

His vitality was absolute, not relative.

Accept - decline

I cannot accept this offer, Lord Caversham, i have made up my mind to decline it.

Act - word

A brawl or boil is a rude quarrel by word or act or both.

Active - passive

This was no passive belief, but an active weapon which they flashed more convenient places of business.

Dead - alive

“Speak” he cried, “and tell us whether you are alive or dead…”

Answer - ask

It is always worth while asking a question, though it is not always worth answering one.

Attack - defence

Dyke had stood between cab and fender through out all the duel, exposed, reckless, thinking only of attack and not of defence.

Back - forward

He distinguished the choice open to him of forward or back, and he selected forward.

Beast - man

But man or beast, it will be wise to stay here a minute and let get by and out of the way.

Begin - end

Romance should never begin with sentiment. It should begin with science and end with a settlement.

Clever - foolish

You don't mean to say that this charming, clever young lady has been so foolish as to accept you?

Begin - finish

Office affairs are easy to begin and difficult to finish, particularly in a small town.

Cold - hot

First you are hot, then you are cold, and the best you have got is the fact you are old.

Complicated - simple