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.
NV VN AN
NA VA AV
NN VV AA
(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) Sternes (dg) Satur(day)
catillus cetel kettle secula sicol sickle
cucina cycene kitchen strata strt 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) Solice his yldra sunu waes on aecere; and he com, and a he am huse genealaehte, he
gehyrde aene sweg and Qt wered. a clypode he anne eow, and acsode hine hwaet Qt awere.

a cwae he, in broor com, and im faeder ofsloth an faett cealf, foram e 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
voil! 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 schia; d) peraclu; e) miezul nopii; f) neprescurtat; a scdea; h) cuvnt
nainte; i) proscris; j) prenume; k) prevedere; l) bicentenar; m) a retrage; n) rscopt; 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 oricrui.
Objective: who(m)soever, who(m)ever - oricrui.
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 s cunosasc regulamentul.
b) Intreab de ei pe oricine vezi aici.
c) Orice ar spune el, gndete-te nainte de a-i rspunde.
d) Nu m intereseaz, al oricui este, cinele 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 pmnt; b) main de splat; c) tunsoare; d) ap potabil; e) revrsat de zori; f)
strngere de mna; g) pta de snge; h) camuflaj; i) centur de siguran; j) cocoat; k) trector.

26. Translate into English, paying special attention to the underlined words:
a) Oficiul potal era deja nchis cnd am ajuns acolo.
b) Fiul meu vitreg este un pasionat al cuvintelor ncruciate.
c) Pentru un astfel de rol ai nevoie de un machiaj special.
d) Nimic nu este mai frumos dect curcubeul dup mai multe zile de ploaie.
e) Ne-am mutat de curnd ntr-un bloc cu nclzire central.
f) Ne ntlnim la gar la ora 8 fix.
g) Eti sigur c i-ai lsat geanta la garderob?
h) Te rog s curei argintria nainte de sfritul sptmnii.
i) A nflorit mrul 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 Marples 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 ships 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. Shes 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) Therell be the devil to pay.
b) He nailed his colours to the mast.
c) Were in the doldrums.
d) I didnt 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 cel i 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 ...........................
c) face to ..............................
d) under lock and..................
e) the twist and.....................
f) hard and ...........................
g) odds and ..........................
h) rough and ........................
i) every now and...................
j) the haves and ....................
k) sick and ...........................
l) far and ..............................
m) the long and the ........of it
o) sooner or .............................
p) for better or .........................
q) by hook or by ......................
r) retail or .................................
s) not for love, nor....................
t) by fits and .............................
u) heart and ..............................
v) sink or ..................................
w) high and ..............................
x) more or ...............................
y) null and ...............................

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. monks 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 ones 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
b. deceive, fool, cheat
c. eager, keen, enthusiastic
d. try, endeavour, attempt
e. cunning, crafty, sly
f. order, command, dictate
g. request, beg, ask
h. wealthy, rich, prosperous
i. dislike, hate, loathe
j. astonish, amaze, astound
hope, hate, adore, raise
swindle, lose, lyre, drop
careful, interesting, strong, zealous
undertake, make, construct, prove
careful, artful, queer, inept
claim, steer, decree, desire
assure, entreat, require, wish
affluent, noble, destitute, mean
vomit, scour, abhor, stand
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 worlds 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 clichs 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
hes 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)