Veeder claims that the very notion of the existence of synonyms is____(i)____, as words depend on ____(ii)____, connotation, and linguistic and cultural context for their ____(iii)____ meanings.If the existence of synonyms were true, then the word for the last blank should have a meaning equivalent to similar. But the choices are
distinct,
interchangeable and
subjective. This rules out
veracious and
maladaptive does not make sense, for the first blank. Therefore, the correct answer choice is
fallacious.
The denotation and connotation of word gives it its meaning. Denotation is the literal and primary meaning and connotation is the meaning evoked in a person by a word under specific circumstances. The meaning of a word does not depend on its
cognition (as even an illiterate would cognize a word) or
mastication (chewing food). So we can eliminate both and choose
denotation for the second blank.
And if the very notion of the existence of synonyms is fallacious, clearly the words must have
distinct meanings.
_________________