- •1. Lexicology as a Branch of Linguistics.
- •2. Characteristics of the Word as the Basic Unit of Language.
- •3. Words of Native Origin.
- •4. Borrowings in English.
- •5. Assimilation of borrowing.
- •6. Etymological Doublets.
- •7. International Words.
- •8. Influence of Borrowings.
- •9. Word-Structure in English. Classification of Morphemes. Morphemic types of Words.
- •11. Prefixation in English. Classification of Prefixes.
- •12. Suffixation in English. Classification of Suffixes.
- •15. Basic criteria of semantic derivation in conversion.
- •19. Minor types of word-formation.
- •26. The problem of definition of synonyms.
- •27. The problem of classification of synonyms.
- •28. Patterns of synonymic sets. The synonymic dominant.
- •29. Antonyms in English. Classification of Antonyms.
- •30. Lexical and grammatical valency.
- •31. Structure and classification of free word-groups.
- •32. Meaning of word-groups.
- •33. Free word-groups versus phraseological units.
- •34. The problem of classification of phraseological units.
- •35. Structural types of phraseological units.
- •36. The main sources of phraseological units.
- •37. Proverbs, sayings, quotations.
- •38. Basic vocabulary.
- •39. Informal vocabulary.
- •40. Formal vocabulary.
- •42. Social variation of the English language.
- •43. Classification and types of dictionaries.
- •44. Methods and procedures of lexicological research.
- •45. Procedures of morphemic analysis
- •46. Neologisms.
38. Basic vocabulary.
These words are stylistically neutral and opposed to formal and informal words. Their stylistic neutrality makes it possible to use them in all kinds of situations, both formal and informal, in verbal and written communication. These words are used every day, everywhere and by everybody, regardless of profession, occupation, educational level, age group or geographical location. These are words without which no human communication would be possible as they denote objects and phenomena of everyday importance (e. g. house, bread, summer, winter, child, mother, green, difficult, to go, to stand, etc.).
The basic vocabulary is the central group of the vocabulary, its historical foundation and living core. Their meanings are broad, general and directly convey the concept, without supplying any additional information.
For instance, the verb to walk means merely "to move from place to place on foot" whereas in the meanings of its synonyms to stride, to stroll, to trot, to stagger and others, some additional information is encoded as they each describe a different manner of walking, a different gait,tempo. Thus, to walk, with its direct broad meaning, is a typical basic vocabulary word.
The basic vocabulary and the stylistically marked strata of the vocabulary do not exist independently but are closely interrelated. Most stylistically marked words have their neutral counterparts in the basic vocabulary. (Basic-begin,formal-commence,inf-get started)
39. Informal vocabulary.
Informal vocab-y is used in one's immediate circle: family, relatives or friends. Inf style is free-and-easy, familiar and unpretentious. Inf words and word-groups are traditionally divided into 3 types: colloquial, slang and dialect words and word-groups.
Colloquialisms are used by everybody, and their sphere of communication is comparatively wide, at least of literary colloquial words. These are inf words that are used in everyday conversational speech both by cultivated and uneducated people of all age groups. Inf words appear in dialogues in which they realistically reflect the speech of modern people.
Pal and chum -friend; girl, when used coll-lly, denotes a woman of any age; bite and snack stand for meal; hi, hello are inf greetings. A number of shortenings are found among words of this type. pram, exam, fridge, flu, prop, movie.Verbs with post-positional adverbs are also numerous among coll-s: put up, put over, make up, make out, turn in. Literary coll-l words are to be distinguished from familiar coll-l and low coll-l. The borderline is not always clearly marked. familiar coll-l used mostly by the young and the semi-educated. Low coll-l- uncultivated speech.
Slang-lang-ge of a highly coll-l style, considered as below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting either of new words or of current words employed in some special sense. Each slang is rooted in a joke, but not in a kind or amusing joke. This is the criterion for distinguishing slang from coll-s: most slang words are metaphors often with a coarse, mocking, cynical colouring. used by the young and uneducated. (mug-face,dogs-feet, blinkers-eyes) Gene ral slang includes words that are not specific for any social or professional group, whereas spec ial slang is peculiar for some such group: teenager slang, university slang, public school slang, Air Force siang, football slang, sea slang, and so on.
Dialect-a variety of a language which prevails in a district, with local peculiarities of vocabulary, pronunciation and phrase. So dialects are regional forms of English. brass -money;to lake-to play; nivver –never, summat-something; nowt-nothing; mich-much;тип-must; ay- yes.