- •Іноземних мов і. Б. Каменська
- •Зав. Кафедри ______ о. І. Каменський
- •Content module 1. The English word as a structure Lecture 1. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics (2 hrs)
- •1.1. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics
- •1.2. Branches of lexicology
- •1.3. Links with other branches of linguistics
- •Lecture 2. Types of lexical units. Word as the basic language unit (2 hrs)
- •2.1. Types of lexical units
- •2.2. The notion of lexical system
- •2.3. Theory of oppositions
- •Lecture 3. Semantic structure of English words. Semantic change (2 hrs)
- •3.1. Lexical meaning: definition
- •3.2. Lexical meaning versus notion
- •3.2.1. The scope & content of notion & meaning
- •3.2.2. Emotional & stylistic components of meaning
- •3.2.3. Grammatical component of meaning
- •3.2.4. Polysemy aspect of meaning
- •3.3. Denotative & connotative meaning
- •3.4. Semantic structure of polysemantic words
- •3.5. Contextual analysis
- •3.6. Componential analysis
- •3.7. Types of semantic change
- •3.7.1. Specialization
- •3.7.2. Generalization
- •3.7.3. Metaphor
- •3.7.4. Metonymy
- •3.7.5. Hyperbole, litotes, irony, euphemism
- •3.8. Linguistic causes of semantic change
- •3.9. Extralinguistic causes of semantic change
- •Lecture 4. Morphological structure of the English word (2 hrs)
- •4.1. Morphemes & allomorphs
- •4.2. Free & bound forms
- •4.3. Morphological classification of words
- •4.4. Morphemic & word-formation analysis
- •4.5. Analysis into immediate constituents (ic)
- •4.6. Derivational & functional affixes
- •4.7. The valency of affixes & stems
- •4.8. Word-building patterns & their meaning
- •4.9. Boundary cases between derivation, inflection & composition
- •4.10. Combining forms & hybrids
- •Lecture 5. Compound words (2 hrs)
- •5.1. Definition of compound words
- •5.2. Criteria of compounds
- •5.3. Specific features of the English compounds
- •5.4. Classification of compounds
- •5.4.1. Classification criteria
- •5.4.2. Compound nouns
- •5.4.3. Compound adjectives
- •5.4.4. Compound verbs
- •5.5. Pseudo compounds
- •Lecture 6. Shortened words & minor types of lexical oppositions (2 hrs)
- •6.1. Shortening of spoken words
- •6.2. Blending
- •6.3. Graphical abbreviations. Acronyms
- •6.4. Minor types of lexical oppositions. Sound interchange
- •6.5. Distinctive stress
- •6.6. Sound imitation
- •6.7. Back-formation
- •Lecture 7. Conversion (2 hrs)
- •7.1. Definition
- •7.2. Conversion in present-day English
- •7.3. Semantic relationships in conversion
- •7.3.1. Verbs converted from nouns (denominal verbs)
- •7.3.2. Nouns converted from verbs (deverbal substantives).
- •7.4. Basic criteria of semantic derivation
- •7.5. Diachronic approach to conversion
- •7.6. Productivity. Traditional & occasional conversion
- •7.7. Conversion & sound interchange
- •Lecture 8. Phraseological units (2 hrs)
- •8.1. Definition
- •8.2. Classification
- •8.3. Criteria of phraseological units
- •8.4. Phraseological units & idioms
- •8.5. Phraseology as a subsystem of language
- •Lecture 9. Homonyms. Synonyms. Antonyms (4 hrs)
- •9.1. Homonyms
- •9.2. The origin of homonyms
- •9.3. Homonymy treated synchronically
- •9.4. Synonyms
- •9.5. Interchangeability
- •9.6. Sources of synonymy
- •9.7. Euphemisms
- •9.8. Lexical variants & paronyms
- •9.9. Antonyms
- •9.10. Conversives
- •Lecture 10. Lexical systems (4 hrs)
- •10.1. Neologisms & archaisms
- •10.2. Morphological & lexical-grammatical grouping
- •10.3. Thematic & ideographic groups
- •10.4. Terminological systems
- •10.5. Emotionally coloured & emotionally neutral vocabulary
- •Lecture 11. Stylistically marked & stylistically neutral words (2 hrs)
- •11.1. Functional styles & neutral vocabulary
- •11.2. Learned words & official vocabulary
- •11.3. Poetic diction
- •11.4. Colloquial words & expressions
- •11.5. Slang
- •Lecture 12. Native words versus loan words (2 hrs)
- •12.1. The origin of English words
- •1. Latin Affixes
- •2. French Affixes
- •12.3. Assimilation of loan words
- •12.4. Etymological doublets and triplets
- •12.5. International words
- •Lecture 13. Regional varieties of the English vocabulary (2hrs)
- •13.1. Standard English variants & dialects
- •13.2. American English
- •13.3. Canadian English
- •13.4. Australian English
- •13.5. Indian English
- •Lecture 14. Lexicography (2 hrs)
- •14.1. Types of dictionaries
- •14.2. Some of the main problems of lexicography
- •14.3. Historical development of British & American lexicography
9.6. Sources of synonymy
The distinction between synchronic & diachronic treatment is fundamental, but the 2 aspects are interdependent & cannot be understood without 1 another. In the past: the majority focused on the prominent part of foreign loan Ws in English synonymy: freedom :: liberty / heaven :: sky.
From Lat.: to interrogate, abdomen, to collect, vacuous, to complete, to ascend, instruction. Native English Ws: to ask, belly, to gather, empty, to end, to raise, teaching. Stylistically neutral simple native Ws, literary Ws borrowed from French & Ws of Greco-Latin origin are learned Ws.
Native English words |
Words borrowed from French |
Words borrowed from Latin |
to ask |
to question |
to interrogate |
belly |
stomach |
abdomen |
to gather |
to assemble |
to collect |
empty |
devoid |
vacuous |
to end |
to finish |
to complete |
to rise |
to mount |
to ascend |
teaching |
guidance |
instruction |
Semantic & stylistic properties may change → stylistic Syns may become ideographic, & vice versa.
The introduction of a borrowed W starts some alteration in the newcomer & in the semantic structure of existing Ws. Many Ws marked in the dictionaries as archaic / obsolete have dropped out in the competition of Syns; others survived with a meaning more / less removed from the original one. → Syn differentiation, an inherent law of language development.
Syns influence each other semantically in 2 ways: dissimilation, assimilation.
Assimilation = parallel development. H. Treble & G. Villains: the pejorative meanings acquired by wench, knave & churl (originally ‘girl’, ‘boy’ & ‘laborer’) ← many Syn terms to hand.
There are Ws that come from dialects, in the last 150 years, from AmE in particular. → BrE speakers use both elements: gimmick :: trick, dues :: subscription, long distance (telephone) call :: trunk call, radio :: wireless. Synonyms from other dialects: clover:: shamrock, liquor :: whiske (Irish), girl :: lass, lassie / charm :: glamour (Scottish).
Syns are created by means of all W-forming processes productive in the language at a given time. The already existing Ws develop new meanings. New Ws are formed by affixation / loss of affixes, conversion, compounding, shortening, & being coined, form Syns to those already in use. Of special importance: shift of meaning, new combinations of Vs with postpositives & compound Ns formed from them, shortenings, set expressions & conversion.
Set expressions of a V with a postpositive are widely used in ME & are 1 of its characteristic features. Many verbal Syn groups contain such combinations: to choose :: to pick out; to abandon :: to give up; to continue :: to go on; to enter :: to come in; to lift :: to pick up; to postpone :: to put off; to quarrel :: to fall out; to return :: to bring back.
Many compound Ns denoting abstract notions, persons & events are correlated with them: arrangement :: layout; conscription :: call-up; regeneration :: feedback; reproduction :: playback; resistance :: fight; treachery :: sell-out.
Frequently Syns, mostly stylistic, but sometimes ideographic as well, are due to shortening: memorandum :: memo; vegetables :: vegs; margarine :: merge; microphone :: mike; popular (song) :: pop (song).
Conversion: laughter :: laugh.
Different affixation: anxiety :: anxiousness, effectively :: effectiveness; loss of affixes: amongst :: among, await :: wait.