- •1. Lexicology, its problems and branches.
- •Branches of lexicology
- •Special Lexicology: historical and descriptive.
- •2. Vocabulary as a system
- •Linguistic relations between words are classified into syntagmatic and paradigmatic.
- •3. The Theory of the Word
- •4. Types of meaning. Different approaches.
- •5. Semantic changes of the word’s notional structure.
- •Metaphor
- •Metonymy
- •Euphemism
- •Causes of semantic changes
- •6. Homonymy. Different classifications. Sources of homonyms.
- •Sources of homonyms
- •7. Polysemy. Types of meaning of a polysemantic word.
- •8. Synonyms. Classification and sources of synonymy.
- •Classification of Synonyms
- •Sources of synonymy
- •9. Cases of confusion with synonymy.
- •10. Antonyms. Structural and semantic classifications.
- •Classification of antonyms
- •Komissarov’s approach to antonyms:
- •11. Semantic fields and other types of English vocabulary word groups
- •12. Affixation. Criteria for classifying suffixes and prefixes.
- •Classification of suffixes
- •13. Conversion and minor types of word-building.
- •14. Composition. Structural, semantic and theoretical approaches.
- •15. Shortening as one of the main types of word-building in English.
- •16. Etymological classification of the English vocabulary. Borrowings.
- •Assimilation of Loan Words
- •Etymological Doublets
- •International words
- •17. Stylistic classification of the English vocabulary.
- •18. Phraseology. Problems of classification of phraseological units.
- •Classification of phraseological units
- •19. Social classification of the English vocabulary.
- •20. Regional varieties of the English vocabulary.
1. Lexicology, its problems and branches.
Lexicology is derived from two Greek morphemes: lexis which means word and logos which means learning. Lexicology is an independent science with its own target and the object of study.
Lexicology is a branch of linguistics which aims at systematic description of vocabulary in respect to its origin, development and current use.
Lexicology studies the following problems:
1. Semasiology and semantic classification of the vocabulary
2. Etymology of words
3. Word-groups and phraseological units
4. Word structure
5. Word formation
6. Fundamentals of English lexicography
7. Paradigmatic relations in the vocabulary (synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, homonymy)
8. Stylistic peculiarities of the English vocabulary
9. Regional varieties
10. Methods of lexicological research
Branches of lexicology
The general study of words and vocabulary, irrespective of the specific features of any language, is known as General Lexicology.
Special Lexicology devotes its attention to the description of the characteristic peculiarities in the vocabulary of a given language. Every Special Lexicology is based on the principles of General Lexicology and forms a part of General Linguistics.
Special Lexicology: historical and descriptive.
Historical Lexicology deals with the evolution of any vocabulary, as well as of its single elements, with the origin of various words, their change and development.
Descriptive Lexicology deals with the vocabulary of a given stage of its development, with the English words in its morphological and semantic structure.
Comparative Lexicology studies closely relative languages from the point of view of their identity and differentiation.
Contrastive Lexicology studies both relative and non-relative languages and establishes differences and similarities.
Applied Lexicology deals with translation, lexicography, pragmatics of speech.
The branch of linguistics, dealing with relations between the way the language works and develops and the facts of social life is termed Sociolinguistics.
2. Vocabulary as a system
The vocabulary of any language is not just a chaotic assembly of words. It’s a system. The term system as applied to lexicology is used to denote the set of all lexical units associated and functioning together according to some certain laws. They are homogeneous interdependent units of the same order related in certain ways, as it is constantly adjusting itself to the changing conditions of human communication and cultural surrounding.
The lexical system is composed of interrelated groups of words. Their members have features in common which distinguish them from the members of the other subgroups of the lexical system. The relations existing between the members of such subgroups are those of synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, etc.
Lexicology studies the recurrent patterns of semantic relationships and phonological, morphological or contextual means by which they may be expressed. Its aim is systematization.
Each lexical unit possesses a certain number of characteristic features making each separate word different from all other words. This feature is called lexical distinctive feature.
A lexical opposition is defined as the semantically relevant relationship of partial difference between two partially similar words. The features that the two contrasted words possess in common form the basis of a lexical opposition, e.g. pool, pond, lake, sea, ocean – the feature is the variant for size. Without a basis of similarity, no opposition is possible.