What is lexicology?
Lexicology is a branch of linguistics concerned with the study of the vocabulary of a given language. It deals with words, their origin, development, structure, formation, meaning and usage.
The role of vocabulary in the language system
Vocabulary is the building material of the language system. It is one of the three essential elements of language: speech sounds, grammar and vocabulary.
2.1 What Is a Word?
The definition of a word
A word may be defined as a fundamental unit of speech and minimum free form; with a unity of sound and meaning (both lexical and grammatical meaning), capable of performing a given syntactic function. A word is a combination of form (phonological) and meaning (lexical and grammatical) A word acts as a structural unit of a sentence. 词是能独立运用的、最小的、有语义的语言单位。
What is linguistics?
Generally speaking, linguistics can be defined as the scientific study of language. To be more exact, linguistics studies the general principles upon which languages are constructed and operate as systems of human communication.
Common words Literary we
Colloquial words
Slang words Technical words
Common words
Common words are connected with the ordinary things or activities necessary to everyday life. The core of the common words is the basic word stock. They are stylistically neutral, hence they are appropriate in both formal and informal writing and speech.
The significance of the course
Develop your personal vocabulary and consciously increase your word power (active vocabulary). Understand word-meaning and organize, classify and store words more effectively. Raise your awareness of meaning and usages, use words more accurately and appropriately. Develop your skills and habits of analyzing and generalizing linguistic phenomena in your learning experiences. Ultimately improve your receptive and productive skills in language processing as well as language production.
1.1 Language, Linguistics and Lexicology
What is language?
Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. It is a specific social action and a carrier of information. “ Language is man’s way of communication with his fellow man and It is language alone which separate him from the lower animals”
A Survey of English Lexicology
英语词汇学教程
Unit 1
Introduction
1. Introduction
2. Basic Concepts of Words and Vocabulary
1. Introduction
1.1 Language, Linguistics and Lexicology 1.2 Aims and Significance of the Course
Vocabulary
All the words in a language together constitute what is known as vocabulary. The term vocabulary usually refers to a complete inventory of the words in a language. But it may also refer to the words and phrases used in the variants of a language, such as dialect, register, terminology, etc. There is a total English vocabulary of more than 1 million.
2. Basic Concepts of Words and Vocabulary
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 What Is a Word? Word, lexical Item, Vocabulary Classification of Words The structure of words
2.3 Classification of Words
three main criteria of classification
By origin By level of usage By notion
Native words
By origin
Loan words
Native words
2.2 Word, lexical Item, Vocabulary
Lexical item (词项)
A unit of vocabulary is generally referred to as a lexical item. A complete inventory of the lexical items of a language constitutes that language’s dictionary. 词是构成词汇的基本要素，词项是词典的组成 单位，词用word来表示，词项用lexical item 来表示。词典中每个词项包含读音、词性、词 义等内容。
To sum up, the definition of a word comprises the following points:
A A A A minimal free form of a language sound unity unit of meaning form that can function alone in a sentence
Words of Anglo-Saxon origin are native words. They form the great majority of the basic word stock of the English language. The basic word stock is the foundation of the vocabulary accumulated over a number of epochs.
Aims of the course
Give a systematic description of the English vocabulary. Offer an insight into the origin and development of the English vocabulary. Discuss the problems of word-structure and word-formation Study the use of English words , their meanings and changes in meaning, their sense relations.
1.2 Aims and Significance of the Course
The nature of the course
theoretically-oriented: English lexicology is a theoretically-oriented course. It is chiefly concerned with the basic theories of words in general and of English words in particular. a practical course: However, it is a practical course as well, for in the discussion, we shall inevitably deal with copious stocks of words and idioms, and study many usage examples. Naturally, there will be a large quantity of practice involved.