A Survey of English Lexicology

1. Lexicology

2. The five sub-branches of lexicology

3. The relations of lexicology to the other branches of linguistics

4. The aim of the course

5. The significance of the course

6. Two approaches to the Study of English lexicology

INTRODUCTION

LEXICOLOGY

1. The term lexicology comes from Greek morphemes: “lexi” and “logos”; the former means “word or phrase”, while the latter “a department of knowledge”.

2. The literal meaning is the “science of the word”.

3. It is the study of the signification and application of words.( a branch of linguistics dealing with the vocabulary of a given language.)

THE FIVE SUB-BRANCHES OF LEXICOLOGY

1. Semantics: the study of the meanings of words and other parts of language.

2. Etymology: studies the meanings, origin and history of individual words and their development.

3. Historical lexicology: studies from a historical point of view the development of vocabulary

4. Phraseology(成语学） : mainly deals with set expressions and idioms.

5. Lexicography: studies the writing and making of dictionaries.

THE RELATIONS OF LEXICOLOGY TO OTHER BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICS

1. Its relations to general linguistics

2. Its relations to grammar

3. Its relations to phonetics

4. Its relations to stylistics

5. Its relations to pragmatics

6. Its relations to semantics

THE CONNECTION

• Lexicology

• word

• Morpheme sound meaning

• Morphology Phonetics Semantics

• grammatical lexical

• syntax stylistics

• pragmatics

THE AIMS OF THIS COURSE

• The aim of this course is to give a systematic description of the English vocabulary.

• It offers students an insight into the origin and development of the English vocabulary.

• It deals with the meaning of the words, the problems of word-structure and word-formation and the use of English words, phrases and idioms.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COURSE

• The significance of a course in English lexicology for language learning is also evident. It will help you to enlarge your vocabulary and improve your ability to analyze and use the words.

• Language learning requires practice. Practice makes perfect.

TWO APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF ENGLISH LEXICOLOGY

• A synchronic approach is an approach to the study of a language at one period of time,

• Whereas a diachronic approach is an approach to the study of the change in a language that took place over a period of time.

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