1. General Characteristics of Lexicology and English Vocabulary
) The Value of Lexicology.
Lexicology has a practical and a theoretical value.
Practical value.
The knowledge of lexicology is required by philology researchers who study the structure of the language. They must understand the structure of the lexico-semantic system; they must know the morphological patterns of the language, word-meanings and the tendencies in their development. The knowledge of lexicology is required in training teachers as teachers must understand the laws of the language. In order to teach pupils a teacher should select the most frequent words and phrases. To adapt a text for pupils a teacher needs synonyms, antonyms.
A teacher must answer pupils numerous questions, eg What does the abbreviation CNN mean? (Cable News Network). Knowledge of lexicology is needed for lexicography (the branch of linguistics that studies dictionary-making). Theoretical value.
Lexicology studies vocabulary as a system and shows the structure of this system. Lexicology studies the theory of meaning. Lexicology helps us to see how our cognition is reflected in the vocabulary system. p align="justify"> b) The connection of lexicology with other branches of linguistics.
Connection with Phonetics. A change in the phonetical form reflects a change in meaning, сf. a boy aged [eiGd] ten - В«десятирічний хлопчикВ», but: an aged [eiGid] man В«літня людинаВ», the poor and the aged [eiGid] В«бідні і літні людиВ». with Grammar. A change in the grammatical form sometimes can lead to a change in meaning, cf. arm В«рукаВ» - arms В«зброяВ», look В«поглядВ» - looks В«зовнішній виглядВ», colour В«колірВ» - colours В«прапорВ», work В«роботаВ» - works В«фабрикаВ», picture В«картинаВ» - pictures В«кіноВ» , pain В«більВ» - pains В«зусилляВ» (take pains В«вживати зусилляВ», В«намагатисяВ»; No pains, no gains В«без праці не виймеш і рибку зі ставкаВ»), drop В«крапляВ» - drops В«лікиВ», сheer В«бадьоритисяВ» - Сheers! В«Будьмо здорові!В» (Тост). With the History of the Language. The History of the language accounts for many phenomena in the structure of modern English, eg homonymy. Cf. love n - love v ( n , lufian v ); answer n - answer v ( n , answarian < span align = "justify"> v ) .
c) Synchronic and diachronic lexicology.
Units of modern English vocabulary can be studied synchronically (ie in the present-day system of the English language) . For instance, if we study the verb to tell synchronically we shall learn that it is linked with other verbs of speaking: say, talk.we study the verb to tell diachronically we shall learn that in Old English to tell meant В«рахуватиВ». The old meaning can be found in its derivatives and phrases: teller В«кассирВ»; pay at the tell В«платити в касіВ»; thirty people all told В«в цілому 30 осібВ». When the verb to count was borrowed from French the verb to tell changed its meaning.
d) Modern Methods of Vocabulary Investigation.
1. Contextual analysis. Compare the meanings of the word coat in the following contexts: 1) my new coat (В«пальтоВ»), 2) dog s coat (В«шерстьВ»), 3) coat (В«шарВ») of paint. Each of the contexts has certain elements which indicate one meaning of the word coat: my in context 1, dog s in context 2, paint in context 3. Contextual analysis consists in finding elements of the context which indicate one meaning of a polysemantic word. Contextual analysis shows that in the following contexts the words floor, boxing have different meanings, cf. room floor (В«статьВ») - ocean floor (В«дноВ»); Boxing (В«дарування подарунків в коробочкахВ») Day - boxing (В«боксВ») competition.
. Method of oppositions, Lexicology ...
