Lexicology as the science of vocabulary

Содержание

Слайд 2

1. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics Lexicology is a branch

1. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics

Lexicology is a branch of

linguistics, the science of language.
The term Lexicology is composed of two Greek morphemes:
lexis means ‘word, phrase’ (hence lexicos ‘having to do with words’) and
logos which denotes ‘learning, a department of knowledge’.
Thus, the literal meaning of the term Lexiсolоgу is ‘the science of the word’.
Слайд 3

Lexicology is a part of general linguistics dealing with the vocabulary

Lexicology is a part of general linguistics dealing with the vocabulary

of a language.
Lexicology studies and describes the vocabulary as to its origin, development and current use.
The term vocabulary denotes the system formed by the sum total of all the words and word phrases that a language possesses.
Слайд 4

There are several parts in lexicology which deal with different aspects

There are several parts in lexicology which deal with different aspects

of words:

lexicology

Etymology studies the origin of words.

Semasiology (semantics) investigates the word meaning.

Grammar studies grammatical relations between words and the patterns after which words are combined into word-groups and sentences.

Word-building studies the structure of words

Phonetics is concerned with the study of the outer sound form of the word.

Lexicography is the theory and practice of making dictionaries

Linguo-Stylistics studies the nature, functions and structure of stylistic devices and the effect it produces.

Слайд 5

Paralinguistics — the study of non-verbal means of communication (gestures, facial

Paralinguistics — the study of non-verbal means of communication (gestures, facial

expressions, eye-contact, etc.)
Pragmalinguistics — the branch of linguistics concerned with the relation of speech and its users and the influence of speech upon listeners.
Слайд 6

Distinction is naturally made between General Lexicology and Special Lexicology General

Distinction is naturally made between General Lexicology and Special Lexicology

General Lexicology

is part of General Linguistics;
it is concerned with the study of vocabulary irrespective of the specific features of any particular language.

Special Lexicology is the Lexicology of a particular language (e.g. English, Russian, etc.), i.e. the study and description of its vocabulary and vocabulary units, primarily words as the main units of language.

Слайд 7

There are two principal approaches in lexicology to the study of

There are two principal approaches in lexicology to the study of

language material:


the synchronic (Gr. syn — ‘together, with’ and chronos — ‘time’)
The synchronic approach is concerned with the vocabulary of a language as it exists at a given time, for instance, at the present time. It is descriptive.
diachronic (Gr. dia — ‘through’) approach
The diachronic (historical) approach deals with the changes and the development of vocabulary in the course of time, with the evolution of words, how they originate, change their meaning and usage.

Ex. To tell one’s money – считать деньги
(OE tellian – считать)

Слайд 8

2. The English vocabulary as a system Vocabulary is the system

2. The English vocabulary as a system

Vocabulary is the system

formed by all the words and word equivalents that the language has.
The term system is not merely the sum total of English words, it denotes a set of elements associated and functioning together according to certain laws.
It is a coherent homogeneous whole, constituted by interdependent elements of the same order related in certain specific ways.
Слайд 9

There are two fundamental types of relations: syntagmatic and paradigmatic. Syntagmatic

There are two fundamental types of relations:

syntagmatic and paradigmatic.
Syntagmatic

relationships are linear. A word is studied in relationships with other neighbouring lexical units in connected speech.
Ex. The structure of a word: teach-er-s
Collocability (combinability) a white rose (colour) – white coffee (with milk) – white lie (harmless) – white meat (poultry).
Слайд 10

paradigmatic relations are contrastive. Paradigm They occur in the words of

paradigmatic relations are contrastive. Paradigm < Lat paradigtna < Gr paradeigma

‘model’ ‘to compare'.
They occur in the words of similar meaning but of different functional properties. The words form an opposition. A lexical opposition is defined as a semantically relevant relationship of partial difference between two partially similar words.
Labour – work; man – chap; doubt : : doubtful
The main problems of paradigmatics are polysemy, synonymy, antonomy, functional styles.
Слайд 11

In the vocabulary one can find the following oppositions: native words

In the vocabulary one can find the following oppositions:
native words –

borrowed (corn, milk – pizza, pasta)
formal – informal (begin – commence; abandon – give up)
emotionally coloured – emotionally neutral (daddy – father)
common words – terms (metaphor)
obsolete (words that are not used any longer), archaisms (words that once were common but now are replaced by synonyms) – neologisms (new words) – eve, morn – laptop (ноутбук), to network, filmnik.
Слайд 12

The English vocabulary is different from the vocabularies of other languages

The English vocabulary is different from the vocabularies of other languages

in the following features:

monomorphemic structure of most important words (man, go)
widespread development of homonymy (sent – scent – cent, lead – lead)
widespread polysemy (a word has several meanings)
way – track, road; direction;
progress (to push one’s way);
a course of actions (I like it this way);
manner, behavior (I don’t like his way);
respect or degree (the photos are in all way similar). http://www.visualthesaurus.com/app/view
4. very limited antonomy of English words (fire can be a noun and a verb).

Слайд 13

3. The word as a basic linguistic unit UNIT is one

3. The word as a basic linguistic unit

UNIT is one of

the elements into which a whole may be divided or analysed and which possesses the basic properties of this whole.
Lexical units are two-facet elements possessing form and meaning.
apartment – a furnished dwelling
The basic lexical units are the word, the morpheme, the phoneme and set expressions.
The borderline between various linguistic units is not always sharp and clear.
Слайд 14

Morphemes are parts of words, into which they may be analysed.

Morphemes

are parts of words, into which they may be analysed.
They

function in speech only as constituent parts of words.
They cannot be divided into smaller meaningful units.
The meaning of morphemes is more abstract and more general than that of words and at the same time they are less autonomous.
use – ful broad – en
use – less re – cycle – ing
use – ful – ness seven – teen – th
Слайд 15

Words are the central elements of language system. The word is

Words

are the central elements of language system.
The word is a

complex phenomenon, because it is a phonological, semantic and grammatical unit at the same time.
The word can consist of only one morpheme (ex. I).
It can be equal to one morpheme (boy, go).
It can be an equivalent of a phrase (red tape – бюрократия).
The word can comprise a sentence (Silence!).
Words are indivisible and fulfil the nominative, significative, communicative and pragmatic functions.
Слайд 16

The word has many different aspects. 1) It has a sound

The word has many different aspects.
1) It has a sound

form because it is a certain arrangement of phonemes;
2) it has its morphological structure, being also a certain arrangement of morphemes;
3) when used in actual speech, it may occur in different word forms, different syntactic functions and signal various meanings.
4) In the spelling system of the language words are the smallest units of written discourse: they are marked off by solid spelling.
Слайд 17

The word is the smallest meaningful language unit capable of functioning

The word is the smallest meaningful language unit capable of functioning

alone and characterised by morphological indivisibility, semantic integrity and positional mobility within a sentence.
The weak point of that definition is that it does not establish the relationship between language and thought.
the word is a dialectical unity of form and content, of the outer side and inner side. The outer side is the sound and graphical form. The inner side is the meaning rendering the emotion or the concept in the mind of the speaker which he intends to convey to his listener.
Слайд 18

The triangle of reference It is also known as the triangle

The triangle of reference

It is also known as the triangle

of meaning and the semiotic triangle.
It is a model of how linguistic symbols are related to the objects they represent. The triangle was published in The Meaning of Meaning (1923) by Ogden and Richards.
Слайд 19

4. Motivation of words The term motivation is used to denote

4. Motivation of words

The term motivation is used to denote the

relationship existing between the phonemic or morphemic composition and structural pattern of the word on the one hand, and its meaning on the other.
Motivation is the way in which a given meaning is represented in the word.
There are three main types of motivation:
phonetical motivation
morphological motivation
semantic motivation
Слайд 20

The motivation is phonetical when there is a similarity between the

The motivation is phonetical

when there is a similarity between the

sounds that make up the word and those referred to by the sense. This phenomenon is called onomatopoeia.
Ex.: bang, buzz, cuckoo, giggle, gurgle, hiss, purr, whistle.
Here the sounds of a word are imitative of sounds in nature because what is referred to is a sound or at least, produces a characteristic sound (cuckoo).
There’s the variability of echo-words within one language and between different languages. Gf. cuckoo (Engl), Kuckuck (Germ), кукушка (Russ).
also: purr (of a cat), moo (of a cow), crow (of a cock), bark (of a dog), neigh (of a horse) and their Russian equivalents.
Слайд 21

Some linguists consider one more type of motivation closely akin to

Some linguists consider one more type of motivation closely akin to

the imitative forms, namely sound symbolism. Some words are supposed to illustrate the meaning more immediately than do ordinary words.
Ex.: flap, flip, flop, flitter, flicker, flutter, flash, flush, flare;
glare, glitter, glow, gloat, glimmer;
sleet, slime, slush,
where fl- is associated with quick movement,
gl- with light and fire,
sl- with mud.
Thus, phonetically such words may be considered motivated.
Слайд 22

morphological motivation Its main criterion is the relationship between morphemes. Hence

morphological motivation

Its main criterion is the relationship between morphemes.
Hence all

one-morpheme words, e.g. sing, tell, eat, are by definition are non-motivated. It is observed in derived words built by affixation, conversion and compounding.
Thus, the prefix ex- means ‘former’ when added to human nouns: ex-filmstar, ex-president, ex-wife. vitaminise, re-think, finger-ring, ring-finger
Слайд 23

semantic motivation It is based on the co-existence of direct and

semantic motivation

It is based on the co-existence of direct and figurative

meanings of the same word within the same synchronous system.
Ex.: Mouth as a part of the human face,
and any opening or outlet
(used metaphorically): the mouth of a river,
of a cave, of a furnace.
Jacket is a short coat and also a protective cover for a book, a phonograph record or an electric wire.
Слайд 24

Some words seem unmotivated (go, face, boy). The word is said

Some words seem unmotivated (go, face, boy).
The word is said

to be non-motivated for the present stage of language development when the connection between the meaning of the word and its form is conventional that is there is no reason for the word having this particular phonemic and morphemic composition. They have lost their motivation. It can be restored in diachronic researches.
the history of not which is a reduced form of nought from OE nowiht