uses lexical oppositions, ie it contrasts words or phrases to see the difference in their meaning or morphological structure, eg coat 1 (in: dog s coat) vs. coat 2 (in: coat of paint).
. Componential analysis. Componential analysis aims at dividing the word meaning into some smallest components of meaning (semes). p align="justify">. Statistical methods. Statistical methods are based on mathematical methods of computing. Statistical methods are used for research, e.g. for selecting the most frequent words, meanings, word-combinations. Statistical analysis helps detect differences in authors styles (cf. styles of Shakespeare and Maugham, Pushkin and Sholokhov, etc.). Statistical analysis is also used for teaching aims.statistics revealed some interesting facts: 1. The most frequent words are polysemantic, monosyllabic; 2. When a long word is used frequently it is shortened, eg: advertisement > ad, refrigerator > frig, television > TV.
2. General characteristics of English vocabulary
) Lexico-semantic system.
Lexico-semantic system is a combination of interdependent elements. Elements in a system resemble bricks in a building. A change in one part of the system provokes a change in other parts of the system. E.g. in Old English the verb to read meant В«вгадатиВ». But in the Middle English period the new verb to guess В«вгадатиВ» was borrowed from French. As a result two absolute synonyms appeared in the English language. Absolute synonyms cannot coexist. So the verb to read changed its meaning: OE rxdan В«вгадатиВ»> ME read В«читатиВ». The old meaning of the verb to read В«вгадатиВ» can be found in the phrase to read smb. s thoughts (I can read your thoughts). As a consequence two homonyms appeared: read В«читатиВ» and reed В«очеретВ». Of the lexico-semantic system are not isolated, they exist in groups.
b) The volume of the vocabulary.
The total volume of the English vocabulary is approximately 450.000 words. The passive vocabulary of an educated person is approximately 30.000 words. For everyday communication one needs active vocabulary which makes 4.000 - 5.000 words. p align="justify"> c) The basic word-stock.
The basic word-stock is the most stable part of the vocabulary. It is the basic word-stock of a foreign language that is studied at Sсhool. But the basic word-stock changes as a result of extralinguistic and linguistic factors. p align="justify"> Extralinguistic factors.
1) New ideas in technology, in history give rise to new words which come into the basic word-stock: video, know-how, CD, UFO, etc.
) Words fall out of the basic word-stock. For instance, knight, bow became archaic. p align="justify"> Linguistic factors.
1) New words come into the basic word-stock after the change in other sections of the vocabulary system. The verb to guess came into the basic word-stock after OE rxdan В«вгадатиВ» changed into ME read В«читатиВ». p align="justify">) Absolute synonyms cannot coexist in the language, eg friend and foe. In modern English the use of foe is limited to poetry and set expressions, eg Friend or foe! Lexical units (words and phrases) of the basic word-stock possess the following features:
the basic word-stock includes units of different parts of speech;
they express the most important ideas: terms of kinship, parts of human body, nature, food, man s activities, main qualities, etc.;
they are stylistically neutral;
they are characterized by stability - most of the words have lived in the language for centuries;
they are characterized by high frequency;
the basic word-stock includes words of three main structural types: root-words, derivatives, compound words. Root-words make up the backbone of the basic word-stock;
the basic word-stock includes native and borrowed words (hand, wolf, face, officer);
words of the basic word-stock make a good building material for phraseologic units. For instance,
to go ...
