- •English lexicology a course of lectures
- •Introduction
- •1. Lexicology as a branch of linquistics
- •2. Kinds of lexicology
- •3. Links of Lexicology with other branches of Linguistics
- •Lecture 1. Word-meaning
- •1.1. Semantics as a branch of Lexicology studing meanihg
- •1.2. Approaches to the study of meaning
- •1.2.1. Referential approach to meaning
- •1.2.2. Functional approach to meaning
- •1.3. Types of word-meaning
- •1.3.1. Grammatical meaning
- •1.3.2. Lexical meaning
- •1.3.3. Part-of-speech meaning
- •1.3.4 Denotative, significative and connotative meanings
- •1.3.5. Connotative meaning
- •1.3.6. Emotive charge and sociostylistic reference of words
- •1.3.7. Pragmatic meaning
- •1.4. Types of morpheme-meaning
- •1.4.1. Lexical meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.2. Functional or part-of-speech meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.3. Differential meaning of morphemes
- •1.4.4. Distributional meaning of morphemes
- •1.5.2.2. Morphological motivation of words
- •1.5.2.3. Semantic motivation of words
- •Lecture 2. Change of Meaning
- •2.1. Causes of semantic change
- •2.1.1. Extralinguistic causes of semantic change
- •2.1.2. Linguistic causes of semantic change
- •2.2. Nature, results and types of semantic change
- •2.2.1. Similarity of meanings or metaphor
- •2.2.2. Contiguity of meanings or metonymy
- •2.2.3. Types of semantic change without the transfer of name
- •2.2.3.1. Specialization and generalization of meanings
- •2.2.3.2. Amelioration and pejoration of meaning
- •2.2.3.3. Hyperbole, litotes, irony, euphemism, disphemism, taboo
- •Lecture 3. Polysemy
- •3.1. The notion of polysemy
- •3.2. Approaches to polysemy
- •3.2.1. Diachronic approach to polysemy
- •3.2.2. Synchronic approach to polysemy
- •Lecture 4. Homonymy
- •4.1. Definition of homonymy
- •4.2. Homonymy of words and homonymy of word-forms
- •4.3. Classification of homonyms
- •4.3.1. Full and partial homonymy
- •4.3.2. Classification of homonyms by the type of meaning
- •4.3.3. Classification of homonyms by the sound-form, graphic form and meaning
- •4.4. Sources of homonymy
- •4.4.1. Diverging meaning development
- •4.4.2. Converging sound development
- •4.5. Differentiation of polysemy and homonymy
- •Lecture 5. Word-meaning in syntagmatics and paradigmatics
- •5.1. Definition of syntagmatics and paradigmatics
- •5.2. Conceptual or semantic fields
- •5.3. Hyponimic (or hierarchical) structures and lexico-semantic groups
- •5.4. Synonymy and antonymy
- •Lecture 6. Word-structure
- •6.1. Segmentation of words into morphemes
- •6.2. Classification of morphemes
- •6.3. Procedure of morphemic analysis
- •6.4. Morphemic types of words
- •6.5. Derivative structure of words
- •7.3. Composition or compounding
- •7.4. Conversion
- •7.5. Shortening and abbreviation
- •7.5.1. Shortening or contraction
- •7.5.2. Abbreviation
- •7.6. Back-formation or reversion
- •8. Word-groups and phraseological units
- •8.1. Lexical and grammatical valency
- •8.2. Definition of phraseological units
- •8.3. Classification of phraseological units
- •Literature
- •Contents
- •Introduction 1
7.5.2. Abbreviation
Abbreviations are formed from the initial letters of the prototype word or word-combination. Here we distinguish two main types of abbreviations:
initial-letter abbreviations retaining the alphabetical reading of each constituent letter; e.g. B.B.C. [] < British Broadcasting Corporation;
initial-sound abbreviations or acronyms when the abbreviated written form can be read as an ordinary English word; e.g. Nato [] < North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
The term abbreviation can also be applied for a shortened form of a written word or phrase used in a text in place of the whole, for economy of space and effort. Such abbreviations are called graphic as they are not separate words but only graphic signs or symbols representing them pronounced like full words; e.g. bldg < building.
A special type of graphic abbreviations is represented by Latin abbreviations which sometimes are not read as Latin words but substituted by there English equivalents; e.g. (< exempli gratia) “for example”.
7.6. Back-formation or reversion
Back-formation or reversion is a diachronic process denoting the derivation og new words by subtracting a real or supposed affix from existing words through misinterpretation of there structure. The process is based on analogy.
E.g. the words burglar, butler look very much like agent nouns with the suffix –er/-or such as actor or painter. The last syllable is therefore taken for a suffix and is subtracted from the word leaving what is understood as a verbal stem. In this way the verbs to burgle and to butle are formed.
8. Word-groups and phraseological units
8.1. Lexical and grammatical valency
Words put together to form lexical units make up phrases or word-groups. The main factors used to make up such collocations are lexical and grammatical valency of their components.
The aptness of a word to appear in various combinations is described as its lexical valency or collacability.
The aptness of a word to appear in specific grammatical structures is termed grammatical valency.
8.2. Definition of phraseological units
Phraseological units or set-phrases are defined as non-motivated word-groups that cannot be freely made up in speech but are reproduced as ready-made units.
8.3. Classification of phraseological units
Word-groups may be described as lexically motivated if the combined lexical meaning of the groups is deducible from the meaning of their components.
By the degree of idiomacity or lack of motivation phraseological units may be classified into three big groups: phraseological fusions or idioms, phraseological unities and phraseological collocations.
Phraseological fusions or idioms are completely non-motivated word-groups in which idiomacity is combined with complete stability of their lexical components and grammatical structure.
Phraseological unities are partially non-motivated word-groups whose meaning can be perceived through the metaphoric meaning of the whole unit having a comparatively high degree of stability of the lexical components.
Phraseological collocations are motivated word-groups composed of words possessing specific lexical valency which accounts for a certain degree of stability of their components.