Tutorial # 7. Theme: “Contrastive Lexicology and Phraseology” (2 hours)

Subtheme # 1: “Comparative and contrastive methods and analysis in Lexicology. New directions in linguistics due to lexicological methods”

Thesis:

Contrastive methods or analysis is not the idea which is new but rather the systematization and the underlying principles. It is common knowledge that comparison is the basic principle in comparative philology.

The method comparison, contrastive we meet in different studies, not only on lexicology. F: contrastive linguistics, contrastive methodology, contrastive phraseology, contrastive culture studies. We should point out that contrastive methods in modern linguistics play an important role, because there are a lot of languages nowadays and the level of international relations, exchanges between countries, learning the foreign languages lead us to compare languages, culture, religion, investigations, values of two nations. According to these methods nowadays there are new directions in linguistics as ethnolinguistics, linguocultural studies, linguocountry studies and cross-cultural communication. They are considered to be new linguistic researches, new linguistic directions of the XXI century.

The aim of that method is to find out similarities it means common features of two languages and differences in both related and non-related languages. Contrastive analysis can be carried out at three linguistic levels: phonology, grammar (morphology and syntax) and lexis. Contrastive analysis is applied to reveal the features of sameness and difference in the lexical meaning and the semantic structure of correlated words in different languages.

Sources and reasons of appearing contrastive methods.

1. In fact contrastive analysis grew as the result of the practical demands of language teaching methodology where it was empirically shown that the errors which are made recurrently by foreign language students can be often traced back to the differences in structure between the target language and the language of the learner;

2. the level of language learning is increasing and it needs to have investigations of two languages. This naturally implies the necessity of a detailed comparison of the structure of a native and a target language which has been named contrastive analysis.

Literature:

1. G.B. Antrushina “English Lexicology”, “Vyssaja skola”, M.1999

2. I.V. Arnold “The English Word”, “Vyssaja skola”, M. 1973, 1989

3. S.I. Ginsburg “A Course in Modern English Lexicology”, “Vyssaja skola”, M. 1979

4. Electronic book of the university:

Электронный учебник по лексикологии английского языка.

Составители: Сыздыкова Г.Н., Булатова С.М. Алматы, 2001

5. Multimedia lectures and seminars compiled by the instructor of English lexicology: senior teacher Asanova G.S

Problematic questions:

- What are the aims and principles of contrastive analysis?

- What are the reasons of appearing of contrastive methods?

- What is the difference between the terms comparative and contrastive?

- Why some lexical items cannot be translated from one language into another?

- What are the important characteristic structural and semantic features of English, Kazakh and Russian lexical units?

- What are the pros and cons of comparative and contrastive methods and analysis?

- What are the new linguistic directions that appeared in certain languages due to contrastive analysis?

- What problems the given directions deal with?

- What is the major problems in the learning of the second or foreign language?

Subtheme # 2: “Comparison of thematic and semantic classification of English phraseological units and lexical units with Kazakh and Russian languages”

Thesis:

It is common knowledge that one of the major problems in the learning of the second language is the interference caused by the difference between the mother tongue of the learner and the target language. All the problems of foreign language teaching will certainly not be solved by contrastive linguistics alone. Linguistic scholars working in the field of applied linguistics assume that the most effective teaching materials are those that are based upon a scientific description of the language to be learned carefully compared with a parallel description of the native language of the learner.

For every word in the mother tongue there is an exact equivalent in the foreign language. It is a belief which is reinforced by the bilingual dictionaries where single word translations are often offered. But every language classifies reality in its own way by means of vocabulary, first it should be born in mind that though objective reality exists outside human beings and irrespective of the language they speak.

Contrastive analysis also brings to light what can be labeled problem pairs, i.e. the words that denote two entries in one language and correspond to two different words in another language. F: часы in Russian and clock, watch in English, художник in Russian and artist, painter in English.

Each language contains words which cannot be translated directly from this language into another, then we will try to give word-for-word equivalence but firstly, that anything which can be said in one language can be translated more or less accurately into another, secondly, that correlated polysemantic words of different languages are as a rule not co-extensive. Polysemantic words in all languages may denote very different types of objects and yet all the meanings are considered by the native speakers to be obviously logical extensions of the basic meaning. F: to an Englishman it is self-evident that one should be able to use the word head to denote the following.

Head of a person, of a bed, of a coin, of a cane

Head of a match, of a table, of an organization

Whereas in Russian different words have to be used: голова, сторона, головка but Russian word голова is not used in connection with “a bed” or “a coin”, but they have another meanings as “он парень с головой” (he is a bright lad), в первую голову (in the first place), погрузиться во что-либо с головой- to throw oneself into smth.

Thirdly, the meaning of any word depends to a great extent on the place it occupies in the set of semantically related words: its synonyms, the constituents of the lexical field the word belongs to other members of the word-family which the word enters.

Difference in the lexical meaning (or meanings) of correlated words accounts for the difference of their collocability in different languages. F: the English adjective new and the Russian adjective новый when taken in isolation are felt as correlated words as in a number of cases new stands for новый. новое платье – a new dress, новый год- New Year. In collocation with other nouns, however, the Russian adjective cannot be used in the same meaning in which the English word new is used. F: new potatoes-молодая картошка, new bread - свежий хлеб.

Different collocations correspond to a number of different words both in two languages. It means that Russian word may correspond to a number of English words – тонкая книга - a thin book, тонкая ирония - subtle irony, тонкая талия - slim waist. English word may correspond to a number of Russian words – to fill a lamp - заправлять лампу, to fill a pipe - набивать трубку, to fill a truck - загружать машину, to fill a gap - заполнять пробел.

But not only notional words but also function words in different languages are polysemantic and not co-extensive. F: the meanings of the Russian preposition До and its equivalents in the English language

он работал до 5 часов – till 5 o’clock

Это было до войны- before the war

Он дошел до угла- to the corner

Contrastive analysis deals with the meaning and use of situational verbal units, i.e. words, word-groups, sentences which are commonly used by native speakers in certain situations. For instance when we answer a telephone call and hear smb asking for a person whose name we have never heard the usual answer for the Russian speaker would be - Вы ошиблись (номером). Вы не туда попали. The Englishman in identical situation is likely to say wrong number. When smb apologizes Простите!- I beg your pardon, excuse me, the Russian speaker in reply to apology would probably say - Ничего, пожалуйста, whereas the verbal reaction of an Englishman would be different – it is all right. It doesn’t matter “Nothing or please” in this case cannot be viewed as words correlated with Ничего, пожалуйста.

Comparison of structural-semantic system of two languages can be investigated in two directions: 1) ways of naming one or other notions in different languages; 2) structural-semantic features (difference) of vocabulary units. The difference naming the same notion in two languages differently depends on the people’s mind to call the things, cultural, historical world, their seeing of the world differently, to their customs, and traditions, development levels in the society, etc.

Things of everyday life are joined in languages by different features and to name the same things in two languages are used different number of words which do not correspond in meaning, content and volume.

In English language there are no special vocabulary units to name the Russian words Сутки, декада, метель, несовершеннолетний. To give the meaning of these words Englishman needs some more words. Сутки-day and night, twenty four hours, декада-ten days or a fortnight, метель-snow storm, несовершеннолетний-under age.

Volume of vocabulary set of English and Russian doesn’t correspond to each other. Correlation of notions, phenomena may be given or expressed by relative words, in other language different root words or by phraseological units or free word combinations.

Semantic difference between languages is found in comparing their nominative units (words and word-combinations), namely in comparing systems of polysemantic words which correspond in isolated vocabulary meanings. Each from vocabulary meaning polysemantic noun Касса in English language coincides individual lexical item. F: железнодорожная касса- booking office, касса театра-box office, театральная касса-theatre agency, касса в магазине-cash register, касса в aвтобусе, трамвае-till, fare box (AE).

One more difference words translating from one language into another with their first meaning may not be corresponded in their subsidiary (second) meaning as in their stem of naming are another features. F: Russian word заяц- в переносном смысле безбилетный пассажир but in English language noun hare in their first meaning hasn’t any figurative meaning as in Russian.

Every language has its own reals or realities. Reals are the fragments of objective reality which is reflected in the results of experience in brain only of one nation. Examples of reality are events of social life, state and public places, national traditions and customs and also things and actions which are connected with everyday life of nations. Sometimes two languages have words which have similar forms, may be different only in pronunciation typical for languages. F: decade – Декада, conductor – кондуктор, post- почта, poet –поэт. But also cases when the form is same but meaning is different. F: operator-in Russian (a person who shoots the film)- снимающий фильм, in English operator is a person who works in telephone switchboard, diet- не всегда диета but also - пища, стол, institute, academician.

Also some differences in phonetical and grammatical features.

Literature:

1. G.B. Antrushina “English Lexicology”, “Vyssaja skola”, M.1999

2. I.V. Arnold “The English Word”, “Vyssaja skola”, M. 1973, 1989

3. S.I. Ginsburg “A Course in Modern English Lexicology”, “Vyssaja skola”, M. 1979

4. Electronic book of the university:

Электронный учебник по лексикологии английского языка.

Составители: Сыздыкова Г.Н., Булатова С.М. Алматы, 2001

5. Multimedia lectures and seminars compiled by the instructor of English lexicology: senior teacher Asanova G.S

Problematic questions:

- What is the thematic classification of English phraseological units and compare with your mother tongue?

- What is the semantic classification of phraseological units and compare with your mother tongue?

- What are the typical characteristics of phraseological units in English, Kazakh and Russian languages?

- Is it the same or different the functions of phraseological units in three languages?

- What are the pros and cons of word-for-word translations?

- What are the realia?

Ablai khan University of International Relations and World Languages

Romano-Germanic Philology Department

Chair of English Philology

Individual works on the course of English Lexicology

2010-2011 a.y.

Module # 1

Theme # 1: “Word stock and society” (15 hours)

Subtheme # 1: “Neologisms”

Tasks:

1. Make a research work on the structure and usage of neologisms. Then present your findings in class. In your research include the following things:

- usage frequency

- users background

- what neologisms (their sphere)

- if they are the same in your mother tongue

- if they are effective to use

- if they are productive

Form of control: Slide show presentation of a research work.

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

2. According to R. Berchfield who worked at compiling a four-volume supplement to NED says that averagely 800 neologisms appear every year in Modern English. And your task is to comment on the given statement and define the linguistic and extra-linguistic causes of it.

Make a scheme or table which shows:

- the reasons or causes of appearing more and more neologisms in English language;

- the development ways of neologisms;

- the attitudes of linguists towards new-coinages both literary and colloquial;

- the peculiarities and role in linguistics.

Form of control: Written table or scheme

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

3. Analyze the term neologisms and the semantic groups of neologisms, then introduce some words or phrases that are new. Make a glossary of words used:

a) to denote computer languages

b) to denote linguistic notions

c) to denote words in economic, political, educational spheres

d) to denote the development of social activities

e) to denote the development of professional jargons

Form of control: Written glossary of words

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

4. Look through the following classification types of neologisms according to the ways they are formed, analyze each type and then explain their differentiating features. Illustrate them with examples. Find out as much examples as possible.

Types of neologisms:

1) phonological neologisms

2) borrowed neologisms

3) semantic neologisms

4) syntactical neologisms

Form of control: Written analysis with examples

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

Subtheme # 2: “Archaisms”

Tasks:

1. Find out the reasons why the words become archaic and present your findings. Make the list of archaic words connected with different themes. You may choose any theme you are interested in. present your task in the form of report with analysis.

Form of control: Report with analysis

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

2. Differentiate two notions as lexical archaisms and semantic archaisms, explain their differences. Make an outline of a special lecture or seminar devoted to the given theme. In your outline you may include the following factors:

- aims and principles of the lecture or seminar

- problematic tasks or questions related to the theme

- introduction, body and conclusion of your presentation

- list of used literature

- typical tasks to fulfill.

Form of control: Outline of a lecture or a seminar

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

3. Divide into small groups of 3 or 4 students. You are going to participate to the students’ scientific conference related to the theme “The usage problems of neologisms, archaisms and terms”. Think of different points to include in your scientific presentations. Consider different ideas of your team and discuss your ideas and decide on the best five to include in your presentations.

Form of control: Scientific discussion in groups

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

Subtheme # 3: “Terms”

Tasks:

1. There are given three controversial problems in the field of terminology. Give your specific characteristics on each problem and say which of them do you mostly close to and why. Evaluate each problem of terms to the following scale: vital, important to some degree, less important. Present your opinions giving your own linguistic judgment.

1) a term loses its terminological status when it comes into common usage. Under the circumstances numerous terms pass into general usage.

2) there are linguists in whose opinion terms are only those words which have retained their exclusiveness and are not known or recognized outside their specific sphere.

3) according to some linguists an ideal term should be monosemantic. Polysemantic terms may lead to misunderstanding and that is a serious in professional communication.

Form of control: Presentation with judgement

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

2. Find out information on the researches in the field of terminology. Make a table that shows the names of English, Kazakh and Russian linguists or scholars who really concerned with the problems of terminology. In your table include the following criteria:

- the names of linguists who concerned the given theme

- the problem they dealt with

- their suggestions or contributions to the field of terminology

Form of control: Making a table with analysis

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010

3. Study the main properties and functions of terms. Then make a glossary or a list of terms concerning with your profession.

Form of control: Making a glossary

Time to pass: 3-8^th of October, 2010