English Lexicology

Lexicology

1. What?
2. Why?
3. How?
 What is lexicology?
Origin
Lexis
(word, speech)
‘Lexicology’
(Greek)
(the study of words)

Logos
(science /study)
 What is lexicology?
Definition Explanation
Lexicology studies:
“Lexicology can be defined as the  Word;
study of words or vocabulary.”  Word meaning;
(Nguyen Manh Hung, 2014)
 Word elements;
 Relations between words;
 Relation between word
groups and the whole
lexicon.
 Lexicology - Branches in broad sense

1. Structure & Formation

2. Semasiology (Semantics)
3. Phraseology
4. Etymology
5. Lexicography
 Why is lexicology important?

1. Lexicology studies words.

2. Words are the means by which we understand the ideas

of others and express our own opinions.

(Nguyen Manh Hung, 2014)

What is a word?
“A word is a meaningful unit of spoken language that
can stand alone and is not divisible into similar
units.”
(The Longman Dictionary of the English language, 1984)

“A word is the smallest unit of language that can be used

Definitions
independently.”
(The Chambers Dictionary, 1993)

A word is defined as “the smallest free form found in

language”. A free form is simply an element that does
not have to occur in a fixed position with respect to
neighboring elements; in many cases, it can even appear
in isolation.
(Contemporary linguistics, 2010)
Words
A word is:
- the smallest free form;
- expressed by a single morpheme or
more than 1 morpheme;
Features - uttered in isolation;
- with semantic or pragmatic content.

A word serves communication.

A word = A unit of speech
= A unit of communication
 Word structures
unhappiness roses

1. Garden plants with thorns

un- + -happi- + -ness
2. A symbol of passion & love

Morphological structure Semantic structure

External structure Internal structure

 Word meaning

heart

An organ that pumps the

blood through the A symbol of love
circulatory system

Denotative meaning Connotative meaning

(Denotation) (Connotation)
 Word formation
Main ways Minor ways

1. Conversion 1. Onomatopoeia
2. Affixation/ Derivation 2. Reduplication
3. Composition/ 3. Back-formation
Compounding
4. Shortening
Word formation  Word types
1. Conversion
 Converted words
E.g.: love, nail, ..
2. Affixation/ Derivation
 Derived words
E.g.: teacher, undrinkable, ..
3. Composition/ Compounding
 Compound words
E.g.: mother-in-law, boyfriends,..
4. Shortening
 Shortened words
E.g.: V-day, brunch, U.K, ..