近义词的差异往往表现为互为近义词的词汇双方所使用的语域不同，所以总结它们在不同语域中的分布特征有助于将它们区分开来。

 fully 和 totally在所有语域中的使用总频数基本一致,并且在网络和小说中的使用频数也差别不大。使用频数最为显著的是在电影电视、报纸、杂志、口语、学术语域中。由此可见,比较之下fully更多地用于杂志、报纸和学术领域,而totally更多地用于博客、电视电影和口语领域。

首先列举fully的前20个搭配词: understand , aware , developed , understood 、 appreciate , expect 、realized、loaded 、recovered 、fully 、formed 、integrated、prepared、functional 、 implemented , clothed 、 informed 、 equipped ,participate 、engaged。查看这些词的共现行,这些词与fully的搭配为:

fully understand/aware/developed/equipped/realized/engaged/recovered...

participate/recovered/loaded/appreciate/understood...fully由此可见,与fully搭配的大多是动词(占90%),并且包含中性偏褒义的语义色彩, fully放在被修饰动词的左右均可。

而列举totally的前20个搭配词: different 、 agree 、 totally 、 completely , honest 、 awesome 、forgot , unacceptable , disagree ,false , dependent , dude , unexpected , destroyed 、 inappropriate , unrelated 、 ignored 、 irrelevant 、 screwed 、 relate。查看这些词的共现行,这些词与fully的搭配为:totally irrelevant/different/destroyed/disagree/ignored...

由此可见,相较于fully的搭配情况,与totally搭配的大多是形容词(占60%),但也可搭配动词(占30%)。三种语义色彩(褒义、中性、贬义)在搭配词中均有出现,但贬义搭配词高居半数。Totally总放在被修饰词的左侧。

语义韵本身具有态度标示功能,具有积极语义韵特征的词总出现在表达希望、美好、赞美等的句子中,而具有消极语义韵特征的词总出现在表达失望、沮丧、批评等句子中。

fully的搭配词包含中性偏褒义的语义色彩。通过查看这些搭配词所在索引行的扩展语境,我们发现即便是看上去比较中性的搭配词,如expect, participate和clothed,却被“传染”上了积极的语义氛围。如下索引行:

I'd fully expect people who don't like me to get as much intel as they can...

...ignore society 's traditional expectations of women and to participate fully in the economic, political, and cultural life of their community.

The woman is at her sexiest when she is fully clothed...

totally的搭配词中三种语义色彩交叉出现,但贬义搭配词高居半数。通过观察它们所在索引行的扩展语境,我们发现有些搭配词虽看起来比较中性,如 dependent , irrelevant和l forgot ,却传达一种消极的语义氛围。如下索引行:

...his life totally dependent on drugs to get him through a single day...

They are totally irrelevant to discusses of truth.Oh, shit! [ totally forgot, with all his yelling等。