I. The development of English vocabulary.
A. Three periods of English language. 1. Old English (450-1100) About 50,000 or 60,000 words. 80% was no longer used. During this period, there are two historical events that have a great influence on English very much. Latin had a great influence on English. ( bargain, cheap, pound, inch, cup, pope, priest, temple, hymn, candle)
b. late modern English (after 1700)
French greatly influenced English words. The territorial expansion of English empire resulted in the expansion of English vocabulary. Borrowed words from non-European countries. Potato, tobacco, chocolate from Mexican Banana, zebra from Africa, coffee from Turkey
II. The content of lexicology
Chapter One General survey of English vocabulary Chapter Two Morphological structure of English words Chapter Three Word-Formation Chapter Four Word meaning and semantic features Chapter Five Polysemy and homonymy Chapter Six Sense relations between words Chapter Seven Meaning and context Chapter Eight Changes in word meaning Chapter Nine English idioms
3. Modern English (1500-the present)
a. In the early stage (1500-1700)-Early modern English
The Renaissance brought great changes to vocabulary. Latin words and Greek words were introduced to English. Latin words on science were introduced. e.g. chemist, function, scientific etc. Greek words: e.g. comedy Drama,, tragedy, criterion, physics
Chapter One General Survey of English Vocabulary
The definition of “word”, “vocabulary”. For centuries, linguists have given different definitions to “word”. Generally, there are two common definitions by 2 linguists. By Bloomfield: A word is a minimum free form. It can be used separately in a sentence. Free form is a form which occurs as a sentence. e.g. Wait, lion, agree Bound form can never be used in a sentence. e.g. Lioness, waiter, agreement, allowed, unfair
Introduction of the course
I. The definition of “lexicology”
Lexicology: A branch of linguistics concerned with the vocabulary of the English language in respect to words and words equivalents. W.E. : an idiom and set phrase representing a semantic unit and functioning as a single word in a sentence. 1.She is the apple of his father’s eye. 2. He’s well off.
2. Borrowed/Loaned words in the English vocabulary.
1)The French element in the English vocabulary. a. French loaned words in the Middle English. b. After Middle English ( words connected with art, food, and drink. e.g. chef, restaurant, café, prestige, fiancée, bourgeois) 2) The Latin element a. Latin words in the old English. (church, pope, priest, temple, hymn, candle)
Scandinavian ( them, both, anger, cake, egg, leg, sky, sister, happy, ill, weak, wrong, ugly, loose, die, trust, want, call, get, hit, give) 2. Middle English (1100-1500) During this period, French has a great effect on English vocabulary. e.g. Law (judge, justice, government, parliament) religion (baptism, confess, divine) clothing (coat, dress, gown) food (beef, mutton, pork) science (medicine, surgeon)
II. English new words (Neologisms) 1.The reasons of the rapid growth of present day English vocabulary 1) The rapid development of modern science and technology.
b. Latin words in the Middle English. ( genius, include, history, legal, minor, picture, nervous, necessary, popular, private, polite, quite, moderate , prevent) c. Latin borrowings after the Renaissance. During this period, some abstract and scientific words were adopted. e.g. education, civil, examination, autograph, expensive, appropriate, emancipation, exist, extinguish
4) The Scandinavian element ( them, both, anger, cake, egg, leg, sky, sister, happy, ill, weak, wrong, ugly, loose, die, trust, want, call, get, hit, give) 5) Other foreign elements. Italian. (art, architecture. e.g. balcony, design, corridor, violin,, solo, duet.) concert, piano Germany: zinc, quartz, waltz. Indian English: ginger, jungle, pajamas Japanese: tycoon, tatami, soy, Judo Chinese: typhoon, tea, wok, silk, china
a. Words connected with nuclear bomb b. Words connected with space. e.g. astronaut, spaceman, space-station, space suit, space shuttle. c. Words on computer.
B. Two groups of English vocabulary.
1. Words of native origin. Native words are the foundation and the core of English vocabulary. They are mostly monosyllabic ords, express the fundamental concepts dealing with everyday objects and life. 100, the most commonly-used words are all from native words. Linguists say that if you know 1000 the most common-used English words, you can understand English article 80% Native words are basic words in English vocabulary.