2.1 The object of lexicology and lexicography. Connections with other branches of linguistics.

Theory of word. Types of dictionaries.

Lexicology (from Gr lexis ‘word’ and logos ‘learning’) is the part of linguistics dealing with the vocabulary of the language and the properties of words as the main units of language. The term v o c a b u l a-r y is used to denote the system formed by the sum total of all the words and word equivalents that the language possesses. The term word denotes the basic unit of a given language resulting from the association of a particular meaning with a particular group of sounds capable of a particular grammatical employment. A word therefore is simultaneously a semantic, grammatical and phonological unit.The general study of words and vocabulary, irrespective of the specific features of any particular language, is known as general lexicology. Linguistic phenomena and properties common to all languages are generally referred to as language universals. Special lexicology devotes its attention to the description of the characteristic peculiarities in the vocabulary of a given language. The evolution of any vocabulary, as well as of its single elements, forms the object of historical lexicology or etymology. This branch of linguistics discusses the origin of various words, their change and development.Descriptive lexicology deals with the vocabulary of a given language at a given stage of its development. Lexicology also studies all kinds of semantic grouping and semantic relations: synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, semantic fields, etc.

Meaning relations as a whole are dealt with in semantics — the study of meaning which is relevant both for lexicology and grammar.

The wordis studied in several branches of linguistics and not in lexicology only, in its turn, is closely connected with general linguistics, the history of the language, phonetics, stylistics, grammar and such new branches of our science as sociolinguistics, paralinguistics...The importance of the connection between lexicology and p h o netics stands explained if we remember that a word is an association of a given group of sounds with a given meaning. Stylistics, although from a different angle, studies many problems treated in lexicology. These are the problems of meaning, connotations, synonymy, functional differentiation of vocabulary according to the sphere of communication and some other issues. The difference and interconnection between grammar and lexicology is one of the important controversial issues in linguistics. A close connection between lexicology and grammar is conditioned by the manifold and inseverable ties between the objects of their study.

The word may be described as the basic unit of language. Uniting meaning and form, it is composed of one or more morphemes, each consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation. Its very hard to give the definition of a word, coz it has many dif aspects. Being the central element of any lang system, the word is a sort of focus for the problems of phonology, lexicology, syntax, morph and others. Thomas Hobbs a great E philosopher revealed a material approach to the problem of nomination Pavlov - defined a word as a universal signal that can substitute any other signal from the environment in evokinga response in human organism Sweet – word=min sentence. Bloomfield word=min free form. Edward Saphir takes into consideration syntactic and semantic aspects when he calls the word – the smallest completely sutisfying bits of isolated meaning, into which the sentence revolves itself.Also he points out the indivisability of a word (it cannot be cut intowithout disturbance of meaning) Purely semantical treatment: Ulmann – words=meaningful units . A word is defined by an association of a perticular meaning with a partic group of sound capable of a partic gram employment. Weak point of all this, is that they do not establish the relations between lang and thought. The problem of creating a word theory based upon the materialistic understanding of the relationship between word and thought on the one hand and society on the other.

Lexicography. Types of dictionaries Lexicography is the subbranch of lexicology, which studies different dictionaries. The problem of compiling new dictionaries is a problem of great importance. The richer is a vocabulary, the richer and more developed is the language. The dictionaries should reflect the richness of the language. It should contain all the meanings of the words. The change of the vocabulary is connected with the change of the life of the society. The dictionary should reflect all these changes. There are different types of dictionaries. They are: 1. explanatory or etymological (Webster and Skeat); 2. dictionary of synonyms and antonyms (Апресян); 3. parallel or bilingual (E-R Мюллер; R-E Смирнитский); 4. phonetic by Jones; 5. Phraseological by Кунин. Etymological dictionary learns not only the meaning, but also the usage of the word. As a rule, words in the dictionary are arranged in alphabetical order. The catchword is usually given in heavy type. The part of speech to which this word belongs is usually indicated. This is of great importance especially for the English language word belongs is usually indicated. This is of great importance especially for the English language. In English dictionaries usually pronunciation is given. In Russian dictionaries a stress is given. Sometime the pronunciation is given too. Each dictionary has its own way of showing pronunciation. Usually phonetic signs are explain in preface. The terms are usually indicated to which branch of science they belong. In England, the first English dictionary was published in the beginning of the 17th century (in the 1604). It was a dictionary of so-called hard words-words, difficult to understand. It was compiled by Cawdray. That dictionary comprised words, which were explained in the same language. This dictionary past several editions, but it continued to treat only difficult words. In 1721, The Universal Etymological Dictionary was published. This dictionary was compiled by Johnson. In the following centuries, a number of lexicographers and writers began to work at the compiling new dictionaries. The result if this great work was the appearance of the Oxford New Dictionary.We have several abbreviated editions of this dictionary. In 1811 a Concise Oxford Dictionary appeared. Then a Pocket Oxford dictionary appeared. Now we have 4 editions of this dictionaries. To know not only the meaning of the word we should use Encyclopedia. ‘Britannica’ – dictionary on different branches of science. There are also phonetic dictionaries compiled by Johns.