Roget's II: The New Thesaurus [antikvár]

PREFACERoget's II: The New Thesaurus, an entirely new work, represents a significant change from traditional thesaurus making. The lexicographic staff of Houghton Mifflin Company, publishers of The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition, has recognized the problems encountered by thesaurus users. Complex index referencing systems have burdened the user's search, and word groupings by vague meanings have confounded selection of suitable words. Consequently, Roget's II has been carefully prepared to provide rapid access to synonyms, which are grouped by precise meanings, facilitating the choice of appropriate words to express thoughts. Thousands of near-synonyms, near-antonyms, and antonyms have been added at appropriate entries as an additional feature felt to be helpful to writers searching for just the right word.For ease of use and clarity in word selection Roget's II is organized in an innovative format. In the left-hand column of each page all entries are arranged in alphabetical order and are classified by part of speech. Every word is accurately defined, as is each sense of a word for which more than one meaning has been included. Sentences and phrases using the entry words in context provide guidance in usage. In the right-hand column synonyms, idioms, near-synonyms, near-antonyms, and antonyms are listed alphabetically within groups and are presented adjacent to each defined meaning of each discrete sense.Secondary entries are included in the single alphabetical listing and are also precisely defined. They are directionally cross-referred to main entries with full synonym presentation. This efficient system eliminates the need for complicated indexes and redundant listings.Since Roget's II defines all entry words and their corresponding synonyms, the work is self-contained. Therefore the user does not need to verify a meaning by consulting a dictionary. Controversial synonyms are labeled, providing usage guidance.It is intended that Roget's II be a source of appropriate words to express thoughts or ideas, guiding the user away from the common pitfall of selecting an unsuitable word. Consequently, only synonyms are exhaustively listed.New computerized editing and typesetting technology have supplemented the traditional methods of lexicography in preparing iiogei's 11. The manuscript typesetting, alphabetizing, final cross-referencing, and accuracy-verification functions were accomplished by computer programs.Research and investigation for this thesaurus began thirteen years ago. On the basis of experience gained during the preparation of the American Heritage Dictionaries, it was believed that a new thesaurus could provide the user with the kind of clear guidance found in these dictionaries. The editors worked with consultant Robert Masters to explore new ideas for organization and presentation of synonyms. Houghton Mifflin's dictionary staff was also aided by the work of independent lexicographers in the development of this work.An abiding objective of our word-reference publishing is to provide authoritative information about our language and guidance in its effective use. We believe Roget's II: The New Thesaurus will serve the user well in selecting the right words to express thoughts precisely and to add colorful variety to expression.INTRODUCTIONRoget's II: The New Thesaurus is a book devoted entirely to meaning. In contrast to the old-fashioned thesaurus, which groups undifferentiated words together with an undefined entry word, this book provides an analysisa definitionof the meaning or meanings of each entry word in the book. Synonyms are grouped according to meaning. What, then, is meaning?MeaningThe meaning of even a single word is rather more complex than one might imagine. The most obvious aspect of meaning is denotation, that is, the thing meant, the concept or object referred to. The denotation of the word chair, for example, is that it is a piece of furniture, that it has a seat, legs, a back, and often arms, and that one person can sit on it. So long as it has these features, a person can identify a chair as a chair irrespective of the fact that it may be big or small, made of chrome or wood, upholstered or caned in short, no matter what other features it may have. Furthermore, a chair is distinct from all other pieces of furniture upon which one can sit. It is different from a stool because a stool is backless and armless. It is different from a couch, on which one or more may recline, and different from a chaise longue, which has a seat long enough to support the outstretched legs of the sitter. Thus the denotation of a word includes those features that are criterial and so serve to define and distinguish.In addition to its denotation, a word may have a connotation, that is, the configuration of suggestive or associative implications constituting the general sense of an expression beyond its literal sense. Differences of style, expressiveness, and other characteristics such that a given term conveys a given denotation moreor lessformally, colorfully, humorously, and the like, constitute the connotations of the word. For example, both mouth and trap denote the opening in the body through which food is ingested. Mouth, however, is what might be called a neutral term; it conveys information but has no connotations. Trap, on the other hand, is a slang word and is often considered to be somewhat vulgar. An alcoholic drinks habitually and to excess, and the word is neutral; lush, however, is a slang term with pejorative overtones.Words expressive of emotion frequently have connotations, but many that are not emotive also have them. Many sets of words of identical denotation participate in a spectrum of greater to lesser formality. For example, of the cluster transpire, happen, occur, befall, betide, hap, and bechance, all meaning "to take place, come to pass," transpire is the most formal; happen and occur are neutralnonconnotative; befall and betide have a somewhat archaic flavor; hap is archaic; and bechance is rare. All of these facts beyond the bare denotation of the terms constitute the connotations of these words. In Roget's II labels, such as Informal, Regional, and Slang, identify restrictions with respect to level or style of usage.Two or more words may have the same denotation and connotation and yet differ in their range of applicability, that is, they cannot be used interchangeably in the same context. Cancel and vacate, both having the same denotation ("to annul or invalidate") and both