Western University, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Language, Applied Linguistic

Year4 Semester1, Supplementary Handout 1

Course Instructor: Mr. Meas Mengly (BE.D & MA in TESOL)

UNIT 19:
Dictionary Information

I. Summary

Dictionary is a comprehensive reference tool that alphabetically lists words and provides
information such as definitions, pronunciations, and often the usage, origins, and variations. It serves as a
valuable resource for understanding and using language effectively. In this summary, the elements of a
dictionary will be summarized and accompanied with further explanation.
Firstly, words are fundamental units of language used to convey meaning, express thoughts, and
facilitate communication. Next, lexicography involves the study and compilation of dictionaries, focusing
on the principles and practices of dictionary making, including defining, organizing, and presenting
words and their meaning. Additionally, dictionaries provide definitions, meaning, and sometimes
additional information about words, serving as valuable linguistic references for communication and
understanding language. Let us now look in more detail at the kinds of information that are contained in
dictionaries and what we mean by the lexicographic description of words. Let us note first that, as we
have said, a dictionary contains, within the limits of its size, a comprehensive listing of the vocabulary of
a language, including items common to the vocabulary of every native speaker as well as items more
restricted in their usage. The items are arranged in alphabetical order, as a list of 'headwords'. In some
dictionaries, derived words will not have a separate entry, but be included in the entry for the headword
from which they are derived, e.g. mysterious will be found within the entry for mystery. Clearly, a
dictionary provides information on the spelling of words, by involving the correct arrangement of letters
in words according to established conventions, ensuring accurate representation of the intended written
form of a word within a language. Moreover, Dictionaries also provide information on the pronunciation
of words, it focuses on the correct articulation and vocalization of words, ensuring their spoken form
aligns with established norms within language, facilitating clear and next, dictionaries give information
about the morphology of words. It is the linguistic study of the structure and formation of words,
analyzing how they are built from meaningful units called morphemes. Importantly, syntax is the branch
of linguistics that studies the structure, arrangement, and formation of sentences in a language, focusing
on the rules governing the combination of words to create grammatically correct and meaningful
expression. Next, a definition articulates the meaning of a word, concept, or term, aiming to provide
clarity and understanding by describing its essential characteristics or qualities. Furthermore, usage refers
to the way words, phrases, or language elements are employed in communication, encompassing their
proper application in different contexts to convey intended meaning effectively. Finally, etymology
involves the study of the origins and historical development of words, tracing their roots, changes, and
linguistic history to understand how they have evolved over time.
In conclusion dictionaries play a crucial role in language comprehension, offering a wealth of
information about words, their meanings, pronunciation, and linguistic features. They serve as
indispensable tools for effective communication and language exploration.

Prepared by:
Ros Vansopha, Khea Vorn, Srun Dalen – Y4, S1 of English for Teaching Student Page 1 of 4
 II. Vocabulary Development
I. Match a word or phrase in column A with a meaning in column B and write your answer in
column C.
A B C

1. spelling A. the branch of linguistics that studies the structure, arrangement, 1. J

2. word and formation of sentences. 2. H
B. the study and compilation of dictionaries, focusing on the
3. lexicography 3. B
principles and practices of dictionary making.
4. dictionary C. the way words, phrases, or language elements are employed in 4. K
5. dictionary communication. 5. D
D. the kinds of information that are contained in dictionaries and
information 6. G
what we mean by the lexicographic description of words.
6. pronunciation E. the study of the origins and historical development of words 7. F
7. morphology F. the linguistic study of the structure and formation of words, 8. A
analyzing how they are built.
8. syntax 9. I
G. the correct articulation and vocalization of words
9. definition H. fundamental units of language used to convey meaning, express 10. C
10. usage thoughts, and facilitate communication. 11. E
11. etymology I. the meaning of a word, concept, or term, aiming to provide
clarity and understanding.
J. the correct arrangement of letters in words
K. provide definitions, meaning, and sometimes additional
information about words

II. Multiple choice

Choose the correct item.

1. What is the primary focus of lexicography?

a. Words origins
b. Sentence structure
c. Word meanings and dictionary-making principles
d. Grammar’
2. Which dictionary element helps you understand how to correctly say a word?
a. Definition
b. Usage examples
c. Pronunciation
d. Synonyms
3. In etymology, what does the study of the historical development of a word involve?
a. Syntax analysis
b. Word evolution
c. Phonemic variation
d. Morphological changes
4. Which of the following is a key aspect of syntax?
a. Morphological analysis
b. Arrangement of words in sentences
c. Words meanings
Prepared by:
Ros Vansopha, Khea Vorn, Srun Dalen – Y4, S1 of English for Teaching Student Page 2 of 4
 d. Historical development of language
5. Which term refers to the study of the structure and formation of words?
a. Syntax
b. Morphology
c. Phonetics
d. Semantics
6. What does etymology study in language?
a. Sentence structure
b. Words meaning
c. Word origins and historical development
d. Pronunciation rules
7. What does spelling primarily involve?
a. Arranging words in alphabetical order
b. Correct pronunciation of words
c. Proper arrangement of letters in words
d. Understanding word meaning
8. Which element helps you understand how to say a word correctly?
a. Definition
b. Usage examples
c. Pronunciation
d. Synonyms
9. What is the main goal of practicing spelling in language learning?
a. Enhancing vocabulary
b. Improving reading skill
c. Achieving correct written representation
d. Understanding word origins
10. What does syntax study in terms of language?
a. Word meanings
b. Word formation
c. Sentence structure
d. Pronunciation variations
III. Comprehension Check
Read each of the following statements and decide whether it is “True of False”.
1. In syntax, the study of sentence structure is unrelated to how words are organized.
2. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in morphology.
3. Word can have multiple meanings depending on context.
4. Definition aims to provide clarity about the meaning of a word, concept, or term.
5. Practicing spelling is important for achieving correct written representation.
6. Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies the correct pronunciation of words.
7. Dictionaries often provide information about the usage of words in different contexts.
8. Morphology focuses on the correct pronunciation of words.
9. Dictionaries list words in random order, not alphabetically.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

F T T T T T T F F T
10. Accurate pronunciation can significantly impact effective communication.

Prepared by:
Ros Vansopha, Khea Vorn, Srun Dalen – Y4, S1 of English for Teaching Student Page 3 of 4
 IV. Exercise
1. Analyze the following sentence and identify its components – subject, verb, object:
 He was able to swim across that big lake.
(Subject: He)
(Verb: was able to swim)
(Object/complement: across that big lake)
 This house was built by my father.
(Subject: This house)
(Verb: was built)
(Object: my father)
2. Choose two words and create new words by adding prefixes or suffixes.
Example: “happy” – unhappy

impolite

Homeless
3. Transcribe the following words into phonetic symbols.
Example: “elephant” - /ˈeləfənt/
 America /əˈmerəkə/
 Computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/
4. Determine the most suitable word or phrase to fill in the blank based on the context of the
sentence.
Example: “The plot of the novel kept readers engaged. (plot/plane)
 The mysterious smell (noise/smell/painting) in the old mansion frightened the
explorers.
 The teacher praised Sarah’s dedication (dedication/procrastination) in solving
complex problems.
5. Analyze sentences below and identify different verb forms (e.g., present, past, future,
active voice, or passive voice)
a. In the mid of 20th century, most parts of Cambodia were urbanized by French
government.
Past simple passive
b. What was the weather like on your vacation?
Past simple with preposition

Prepared by:
Ros Vansopha, Khea Vorn, Srun Dalen – Y4, S1 of English for Teaching Student Page 4 of 4