1 Lexicology as a branch of linguistics. Lexical units.

Lexicology is a part of linguistics that studies vocabulary of a language. The term “lexicology” came from Greek “lexicos” – related to words & “logos” – learning. Lexicology: 1) general – universal features of words common to all l-ges; 2) special – peculiarities of notional l-ges & words). subbranches of lexicology: 1) semasiology – meaning types of change of semantic structure of words; 2) etymology – the evolution of the word (origin change & development); 3) word-formation (morphology) – word structure; 4) phraseology – phraseological units / idioms; 5) lexicography – dictionary compiling. Lexical units: 1) morpheme – is the smallest indivisible, meaningful lang. unit reproduced in word patterns. 2) word – a nominative unit, names things & notions. 3) idioms – units of meaning larger than a single word.

Lexicology is one of the main constituent parts of linguistics. Like any brunch in linguistics lexicology has the object of its research which is lexicon or sometimes lexis, vocabulary, or word stock, the aims of research & research methods. The term “lexicon” is known in E-sh from the early 17 cent., it refers to a book containing a selection of words arranged in order. It is still used today in this meaning. Gradually the term “lexicology” has developed into a more abstract sense. Today it refers to a total stock of meaningful units in a l-ge (words, set phrases, affixes). Lexicology as the branch of linguistics is concerned with the nature meaning history & use of words & also with the description of lexical items in dictionaries. One of the major tasks of lexicology is to reveal how lexicon is structured, organized & how it’s used for the purposes of communication. Today lexicologists are committed to the theoretical study of lexicon within a broad linguistic, cognitive & cultural context. Directions: synchronic, contrastive, cognitive. The present course of modern E-sh lexicology contains elements of contrastive lexicology: E-sh & Russian. Most statements about l-ge in general may be called contrastive, as we deal with similarities & differences. To study the lexicon of E-sh is to study all aspects , all the vocabulary. We discuss how the words were formed, their meaning, the changes in their meaning: semantic, non-sem. aspects of words, variability of E-sh words. Branches of E-sh: phonetics, History of E-sh, stylistics, Lexicography.

2 General characteristics of the e. Lexicon

Lexicon – the total stock of meaningful units in a l-ge: words, idioms. 1) polysemantic words; 2) homonyms, homographs, homophones; 3) borrowings; 4) phrasal verbs, stone wall constructions & idioms; 5) various local dialects & modification; 6) neologisms (800 per year). A neologism – a “new word” in a l-ge. Neologisms can develop in 3 main ways: 1) neologisms proper – a new lexeme is introduced to denote a new object / phenomenon (speaker-phone – домофон, machine translation); 2) semantic neologisms – a lexicon existing in a l-ge change its meaning to denote a new object / phenomenon (umbrella / under the NATO umbrella); 3) transnomination – a new lexicon develops to denote some “old” object / phenomenon (slum – ghetto – трущобы).