The paronyms under consideration have existed in the Russian language since ancient times and were first recorded in explanatory dictionaries in the XVIII century. The most commonly used adjective among them is double. Over the past centuries, quite significant changes have naturally taken place in its semantics and the range of its lexical compatibility with nouns has expanded many times. Modern explanatory dictionaries distinguish this word, as a rule, three meanings, while noting some lexical shades. It seems more appropriate to distinguish the following four values::
1. Twice as large, doubled in size; doubled.
2. Consisting of two homogeneous or similar parts, objects.
3. Manifesting in two types, forms, containing two sides; twofold.
4. Insincere, duplicitous, hypocritical.
Abstract nouns that combine with this paronym in the first sense include, first of all, the following words: work, price, payment, tax, salary, rate (in taxation, as well as in gambling), size, norm, portion of something, dose of something, fine, responsibility, load, taxing, cheating, killing, breaking, jumping, turning, somersaulting, somersaulting, etc. Together with adjectives and corresponding verbs, they form, in particular, the following commonly used verb-nominal phrases: perform double work, pay double price, receive double salary, eat a double portion of something, take a double dose of something, pay a double fine, fulfill a double norm, bear a double responsibility for something. take responsibility, handle a double load, avoid double taxation, commit a double murder, get a double fracture, perform a double somersault, make a double jump, etc. Here are some examples from contemporary fiction and periodicals:
"The Moscow government will receive a double tax on one liter of fuel in the budget" (Izvestia. 1997. December 27); "A woman carries a double burden-at home and at work (often unloved)" (Home hearth. 1999. May); "The agreements provide for the release of-
page 53
protection ...
Read more