Contrastive Analysis of Synonymy in Russian and German and Its Application to Vocabulary Teaching (for Russian-speaking Learners)

The article considers the practical application of contrastive study of Russian and German synonymic systems in teaching German vocabulary to Russian-speaking learners at the advanced level. It is established that synonymy in the two languages is structured on fundamentally different principles: in Russian, the determining factor is stylistic stratification — synonymic chains form branching hierarchies with a clear vertical of 'neutral / bookish / colloquial', while German to a great extent fulfils the same semantic function through word-formation mechanisms, primarily compounding, which generates quasi-synonyms with narrowed denotative values. Four stable types of synonymic divergences are described that systematically provoke lexical errors in Russian native speakers. For didactic purposes, the concept of the 'synonymic gap' is introduced — a zone of structural mismatch that with high predictability generates interference errors in word choice. On this basis, a methodological model is proposed, comprising a contrastive synonymic matrix and a three-stage exercise system (analytical, differentiating, and productive stages). The conclusion is that systematic contrastive work with synonymy significantly increases the precision of lexical choice and forms a stable lexical competence.