Analysis of Synonyms Based on COCA Corpus under the Extended Unit of Meaning—Taking Keep and Retain as Examples

本研究基于扩展单位意义模型EUM (Extended Unit of Meaning)理论，结合美国当代英语语料库COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English)的丰富数据，系统辨析了近义词“keep”与“retain”在实际语言运用中的差异。通过定量分析与定性分析相结合的研究方法，本研究深入探讨了两者在语域分布、搭配模式、语义倾向及语义韵等方面的异同点。研究发现，尽管两者在广义上均表达“保持”或“保留”的概念，但在具体语境中却展现出独特的词汇特征和偏好。本研究不仅为近义词辨析提供了实证基础，也为英语教学、翻译实践、词典编纂及跨文化交际等领域提供了参考。Based on the theory of Extended Unit of Meaning (EUM) and the rich data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), this study systematically analyzes the differences between the synonyms “keep” and “retain” in actual language usage. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examines the similarities and differences between the two in terms of register distribution, collocation patterns, semantic tendency and semantic rhyme. It is found that although both of them express the concept of “keep” or “retain” in a broad sense, they show unique lexical features and preferences in specific contexts. This study not only provides an empirical basis for the identification of synonyms, but also provides references for the fields of English teaching, translation practice, lexicography and cross-cultural communication.