lexicology / 6-7

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scientific study, but in fact do not exist separately.

Every word presents a unity of semantic, phonetic and grammatical elements. In other words, it has a lexical meaning and at the same time its own phonetical and grammatical aspects.

a) Lexicology and Phonetics

The connection of lexicology with phonetics becomes clear if we think of the fact that the word, which is the basic unit in lexicological study, cannot exist without its sound form, which is the object of study in phonology. Words consist of phonemes which have no meaning of their own. but forming morphemes they Serve to distinguish between meanings. The meaning of words is conditioned by several phonological features, such as:

1. qualitative and quantitative character of the phonemes

.e.g. dog – dock,, rob -robe, pot- port

2. fixed sequence of phonemes.

e.g. dog – god,. pot - top, name-mane-mean, nest-sent-tens

(3) the position of stress.

e.g. 'object, n - object, v.; 'present, adj - pre'sent. v; 'black 'board -'blackboard, 'break 'through - 'breakthrough

b) Lexicology and Grammar

Interaction between vocabulary and grammar is evident both in the Sphere of morphology and in syntax.

Plural forms, for example, can serve to form special lexical meaning, e.g. advice (counsel) advices (information)

damage (injury') - damages (compensation)

arm (human upper limb) - arms (weapon) Sometimes, when two kinds of pluralisation have produced two plurals of word, different uses and meanings have resulted, e.g. brother - brothers, brethren

cloth cloths, clothes

fish -fish, fishes

penny -pennies, pence Lexicalisation of numeric meaning is rather common,

e.g. ice-cream - two ice-creams

Picasso two Picassos

two - a two

Some prefixes make intransitive verbs transitive: ^lout-` `^lbe-` e.g. shine - outshine

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run - outrun little - belittle Interaction between vocabulary and grammar have their own peculiarities in syntax. Lexical meaning of the word depends on its environment.

e.g. He ran quickly. He ran the factory with efficiency.

He breathed freely. - He breathed a new life into our activities.

Instances are not few when the syntactic position of the word does not only change its function but its lexical meaning as well.

e.g. library school - school library

town market market town

It may happen that the same verb changes its meaning when used with persons and with names of objects.

e.g. The new girl gave him a strange smile. (She smiled at him) The new teeth gave him a strange smile. (He looked strange)

c) Lexicology and Stylistics

Lexicology is also connected with stylistics since it deals with stylistic grouping and colouring of words (literary, colloquial, slang, etc.), which is the object of special study of stylistics.

Practical Tasks

Exercise J. Define the meaning of the following words.

Authority - authorities, colour colours, direction - directions, duty -duties, honour - honours, humanity - humanities, power - powers,

Exercise 2. Decipher the following spoonerisms.

You've hissed my mystery lecture, (a reprimand to a student)

You have tasted two worms, (to another student)

Three cheers for our queer old dean! (a toast to Queen Victoria)

Our Lord is a shoving leopard, (from a sermon)

Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride, (to a bridegroom at the

wedding)

1 believe you're occupewing my pie. May 1 sew you to another sheet?

(to a stranger seated in the wrong place)

Is the bean dizzy? (to a school official's secretary)

You have a nosy little crook here, (about a friend's country cottage)

When our boys come home from France, we will have the hags flung

out. (during WVV1)