英语词汇学第1讲

1、English Lexicology Lecture IAn Introduction to LexicologyLecture I An introduction1 Do you really know words?2 What is language?3 What is linguistics? 4 What is lexicology?5 The role of vocabulary6 Other related disciplines7 Assumptions in lexicology8 English lexicology as a course 1 What is languag

2、e?Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.It is a specific social action and a carrier of information.Language is mans way of communication with his fellow man and it is language alone which separates him from the lower animals.2 What is linguistics?Generally spe

3、aking, linguistics can be defined as the scientific study of language.To be more exact, linguistics studies the general principles upon which languages are constructed and operate as systems of human communication.3 What is lexicology?Lexicology is a branch of linguistics concerned with the study of

4、 the vocabulary of a given language. It deals with words, their origin, development, structure, formation, meaning and usage.lexicologylexic-ologyThe root “lexi-” means “word, phrase”, hence “lexico-” means “having to do with words”, and “-logos” denotes “a department of knowledge”. Thus, the litera

5、l meaning of lexicology is the “science of words”.Whats the role of vocabulary in language?Vocabulary is the building material of the language system. It is one of the essential elements of language.Without grammar very little can be conveyed, but without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.4. The r

6、ole of vocabularyThere is a sense in which learning a foreign language is basically a matter of learning the vocabulary of that language. Not being able to find the words to express yourself is the most frustrating experience in speaking another language.4. The role of vocabulary5 Other related disc

7、iplinesLexicology itself is a sub-branch of linguistics. But it embraces other academic disciplines, such as morphology, semantics, etymology, stylistics, phonetics, and lexicography. 5 Other related disciplinesMorphology - the study of morphemes and their different forms, and the way they combine i

8、n word formation. For example, the English word unfriendly is formed from friend, the adjective-forming suffix ly and the negative prefix un-.Semantics - the study of meaning, but there are different approaches to the way in which meaning in language is studied, for example, philosophical approach,

9、linguistic approach.Etymology - the study of the origin of words, and of their history and changes in their meaning. Stylistics - the study of that variation in language which is dependent on the situation in which the language is used and also on the effect the writer or speaker wishes to create on

10、 the reader or hearer. Phonetics - the study of speech sounds. There are three main areas of phonetics: articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, auditory phonetics.Lexicography - the study on the compiling of dictionaries. 6 Assumptions in lexicology Vocabulary never remains stable. Word is the p

11、rincipal and basic unit of language. Word is a two-facet unit possessing both form and content. Structurally words are inseparable lexical units taking shape in a definite system of grammatical forms and syntactic characteristics. Two principal approaches to linguistic investigation: the synchronic

12、and diachronic approach.English lexicology is a theoretically-oriented course. It is chiefly concerned with the basic theories of words in general and of English words in particular. However, it is a practical course as well, for in the discussion, we shall inevitably deal with copious stocks of wor

13、ds and idioms, and study many usage examples. Naturally, there will be a large quantity of practice involved.7 English lexicology as a courseWhat the course does It gives a systematic description of the English vocabulary. It offers an insight into the origin and development of the English vocabular

14、y. It discusses the problems of word-structure and word-formation It studies meanings and changes in meaning, and also meaning relationships.What the lecturer hopesTo expand your vocabulary and increase your word power (active vocabulary).To develop your skills and habits of analyzing and generalizing linguistic p