Textbook:Textbook:Влавацкая М.В.Влавацкая М.В.

‘‘English Lexicology English Lexicology in Theory and Practice’in Theory and Practice’

НовосибирскНовосибирск:: НГТУ, 2010. НГТУ, 2010.ББК 81.432.1-3-923ББК 81.432.1-3-923

В 57В 57

Lexicology as a Branch Lexicology as a Branch of Linguistics. of Linguistics. Lexical Units Lexical Units

Introduction Introduction

Lexicology as a Branch of Lexicology as a Branch of LinguisticsLinguistics

1.1. Lexicology: central terms Lexicology: central terms 2.2. Parts and areas of lexicologyParts and areas of lexicology3.3. Two approaches to language Two approaches to language

studystudy4.4. Lexical unitsLexical units5.5. Varieties of wordsVarieties of words

Etymology of the word Etymology of the word ‘lexicology’‘lexicology’

2 Greek morphemes: 2 Greek morphemes: lexislexis - - ‘word, phrase’ ;‘word, phrase’ ;logoslogos - - ‘learning, a department of ‘learning, a department of

knowledge’. knowledge’.

The literal meaning of the term The literal meaning of the term «l«lexiexiссololооggуу» » is ‘the science of the word’. is ‘the science of the word’.

I. Lexicology: central termsI. Lexicology: central terms

1.1. LexicologyLexicology – a branch of – a branch of linguistic; linguistic;

2.2. WordWord - the basic unit of a the basic unit of a language; language;

3.3. VocabularyVocabulary - the system - the system formed by the total sum of all formed by the total sum of all the words the words

II. Parts of LexicologyII. Parts of Lexicology1.1. General Lexicology General Lexicology - - the the

study of vocabulary irrespective of study of vocabulary irrespective of the specific features of any the specific features of any particular language;particular language;

2.2. Special Lexicology Special Lexicology - - the the Lexicology of a particular language Lexicology of a particular language (English, Russian, etc.), i.e. the (English, Russian, etc.), i.e. the study and description of its study and description of its vocabulary and vocabulary units. vocabulary and vocabulary units.

Areas of LexicologyAreas of Lexicology

1. Historical Lexicology;2. Descriptive Lexicology;3. Comparative Lexicology;4. Contrastive Lexicology;5. Combinatorial Lexicology; 6. Applied Lexicology.

Functional ApproachFunctional Approachstands out as describing how stands out as describing how words are used in discourse words are used in discourse to provide and support to provide and support meaningful communication. meaningful communication.

Modern English Lexicology Modern English Lexicology studies:studies:

1.1. Semasiology;Semasiology;2.2. Word-Structure;Word-Structure;3.3. Word-Formation;Word-Formation;4.4. Etymology of the English Word-Stock;Etymology of the English Word-Stock;5.5. Word-groups and Phraseological Word-groups and Phraseological

Units;Units;6.6. Variants of The English Language;Variants of The English Language;7.7. Lexicography.Lexicography.

III. Two Approaches to Language StudyIII. Two Approaches to Language Study

►The The synchronic (descriptive) synchronic (descriptive) approachapproach is concerned with the is concerned with the vocabulary of a language as it vocabulary of a language as it exists at a given time or at the exists at a given time or at the present time. present time.

►The The diachronic (historical) diachronic (historical) approachapproach refers to refers to Historical Historical LexicologyLexicology that deals with the that deals with the evolution of the vocabulary units of evolution of the vocabulary units of a language over time. a language over time.

IV. Lexical UnitsIV. Lexical Units1. Morphemes - - the smallest indivisible two-the smallest indivisible two-

facet language unit: facet language unit: stress-fulstress-ful 2.2. WordWord - - the basic unit of language system;the basic unit of language system;3.3. Word-group Word-group - - the largest two-facet lexical the largest two-facet lexical

unit comprising more than one word: unit comprising more than one word: a high a high tree tree

4.4. Phraseological unit Phraseological unit – – the group of words the group of words whose combination is integrated as a unit with whose combination is integrated as a unit with a specialised meaning of the whole: a specialised meaning of the whole: a red tape.a red tape.

1.1. flower, wall, taxi flower, wall, taxi – – wordswords denoting objects of the outer denoting objects of the outer world;world;

2.2. Black frost Black frost - - ‘frost without snow’‘frost without snow’, , red tape red tape - - ‘bureaucratic methods’‘bureaucratic methods’, , a skeleton in the cupboard a skeleton in the cupboard – ‘– ‘a a fact of which a family is ashamed fact of which a family is ashamed and which it tries to hide’ - and which it tries to hide’ - phphraseological unitsraseological units

V. Varieties of WordsV. Varieties of WordsThe The word –word –

a two-faceta two-facet unit possessing unit possessing both both formform and and contencontent or t or soundformsoundform and and meaningmeaning. . Neither can exist without the Neither can exist without the other. other.

ParadigmParadigm - the system showing a word - the system showing a word in all its word-forms.in all its word-forms.

► Word-forms - Word-forms - grammatical forms of grammatical forms of words:words:e.g. e.g. walk, walks, walked, walking;walk, walks, walked, walking;e.g.e.g. singer, singer’s, singers, singers singer, singer’s, singers, singers’. ’.

His brother is a well-known His brother is a well-known singersinger..I wonder who has I wonder who has takentaken my umbrella. my umbrella.

Variants of WordsVariants of WordsGroup OneGroup One

Lexical varieties - Lexical varieties - llexico-semantic variantexico-semantic variant – – the word in one of its meanings. the word in one of its meanings.

e.g. e.g. greengreenLSV1 - colour of grass;LSV1 - colour of grass;LSV2 - not ready to be eaten;LSV2 - not ready to be eaten;LSV3 - not experienced;LSV3 - not experienced;LSV4 - made of green leaves of vegetables;LSV4 - made of green leaves of vegetables;► etc. etc.

Variants of WordsVariants of WordsGroup TwoGroup Two

1.1.phonetic variantsphonetic variants: : oftenoften [‘ [‘O:fnO:fn] ] and and [‘[‘O:ftnO:ftn]];;againagain [ [əə’gein] ’gein] and and [[əə’gen].’gen].

2.2. morphological variantsmorphological variants: : learned [-d]learned [-d] and and learnt [-t]learnt [-t];;geologic – geological, geologic – geological, etc.etc.

ConclusionConclusion►A slight change in the A slight change in the

morphemic or phonemic morphemic or phonemic composition of a word is not composition of a word is not connected with any connected with any modification of its meaningmodification of its meaning. .

►A change in meaning is not A change in meaning is not followed by any structural followed by any structural changes, either morphemic or changes, either morphemic or phonetic. phonetic.

►Like word-forms variants of Like word-forms variants of words are identified in the words are identified in the process of communication as process of communication as making up one and the same making up one and the same word. word.

►Thus, within the language Thus, within the language system the word exists as a system the word exists as a system and unity of all its system and unity of all its forms and variantsforms and variants

References:References:1.1. Гинзбург Р.З. Лексикология английского Гинзбург Р.З. Лексикология английского

языка. М. Высшая школаязыка. М. Высшая школа, 1979., 1979. – С. – С.- 7-11- 7-11..2.2. Зыкова И.В. Практический курс Зыкова И.В. Практический курс

английской лексикологии. М.: Академия, английской лексикологии. М.: Академия, 2006. – С.2006. – С. – 6-7 – 6-7..

3.3. Гвишиани Н.Б. Современный английский Гвишиани Н.Б. Современный английский язык. Лексикология. М.: Академия, 2007. язык. Лексикология. М.: Академия, 2007. – С. – 11-16– С. – 11-16..

4.4. Антрушина Г.Б., Афанасьева О.В., Антрушина Г.Б., Афанасьева О.В., Морозова Н.Н. Лексикология английского Морозова Н.Н. Лексикология английского языка. М.: Дрофа, 2006. – С. –языка. М.: Дрофа, 2006. – С. – 6-10. 6-10.