SYNONYMIC RELATIONSHIPS IN THE LEXICAL-SEMANTIC GROUP OF TEMPERATURE-RELATED ADJECTIVES IN FRENCH

Abstract: The study of synonymy in semasiology raises questions about the classification of words that express varying degrees of a characteristic, such as temperature. This paper explores the semantic relationships among French adjectives expressing heat intensity, such as chaud, tiède. By analyzing their lexical and semantic structures, we determine their gradational hierarchy and identify a dominant term within the synonymic series. The study finds that chaud functions as the dominant neutral adjective, with others positioned along a semantic scale of increasing intensity. The findings contribute to the broader linguistic discussion on synonymy, gradation, and lexical classification.