This collective monograph includes theoretical studies made in the course of compiling Novyi Ob"iasnitel"nyi Slovar" Sinonimov Russkogo Iazyka (2000, 2004) (New explanatory dictionary of Russian synonyms). Contents: Fundamentals of systematic lexicography (Iu. Apersian); Concept of purpose and semantics of purpose words of Russian (I. Levontina); Naive-linguistic ideas about politeness and lexics used to express it (T. Krylova); Concepts of honor and humility (A. Sannikov); Human intellectual abilities and activities in the mirror of adjectives (O. Boguslavskaia); Linguistic model of understanding (B. Iomdin); Conceding in language (V. Apresian); Semantics of size (E. Urynson); Forming semantic structure of the word "prostoi" in Russian (E. Babaeva). Bibliography. Subject index. Also available: Novyi Ob"iasnitel"nyi Slovar" Sinonimov Russkogo Iazyka (1st issue -2000, 2nd issue - 2004).