Kazakh-American Free University

Lexicology and
Phraseology

Valentina V. Gersonskaya,
Autumn 2020
associate professor
 Outline
Lexicology as a branch of Linguistics
The goal of research
Branches of Lexicology
Brief History of Lexicology
Word

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 Questions
How can you characterize etymology as a branch
of Linguistics?
What is specific about word equivalents?
What makes up a word?

05/16/2023 Lexicology and Phraseology 3

 Lexicology

Lexicology is a branch of Linguistics

dealing with the vocabulary of a
language and the properties of
words, word-equivalents, and
word-collocations.
 Object of Research
The object of research is word:

- its lexical meaning;

- its position in the lexical system of a language;
- its origin;
- its use, spheres of use;
- its expressive and stylistic properties.

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The Objective of the Research

The objective of the research is to

systemize and describe vocabulary
in respect to its origin,
development and current use.
 Lexicology

General Lexicology

Special Lexicology
 Lexicology
General Special

Historical

Descriptive

+ Comparative
 Approaches to Language Study

Syncronic (descriptive) Diacronic (historical)

It studies the language system It studies the change of the

at a certain period of time, as language in the course of time
something static. and finds out the causes of the
changes.

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 Language universals

Language universals are linguistic phenomena

and properties common to all languages.
 Words. Diversity.
Sphere of use
Emotive coloring
Position in the vocabulary system (Active/
passive)
Time (archaic, new words)
Origin (native, borrowings – barbarisms,
international words, culture-specific words)

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 Word
Semasiology
Word-structure
Word-formation
Etymology
Dialectology
Lexicography
Translatology
Public Speaking
Methodology of Language teaching, etc.
 History of Lexicology
Ancient philosophers – semantics, aesthetic and
expressive properties of words.

1765 – Denis Diderot - definition of Lexicology

“a language study that focuses on general
principles of the wordstock structuring.
Three objects of study: origin of a word, form of a
word, meaning of a word.

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Wilhelm von Humbolt – inner form of a word.

Herman Paul – semantics.

Mikhail Lomonosov – diversity of words. “Three

Styles Theory”.

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 Word

Word is a fundamental autonomous unit of

language consisting of a series of
phonemes and conveying a certain concept,
idea or meaning which has gained general
acceptance in a social group of people
using the same language and historically
connected.
 Word

Word is the basic unit of language

resulting from the association of a
particular meaning with a particular
group of sounds capable of a particular
grammatical employment.
 Word

Word is the basic unit of language

resulting from the association of a
particular meaning with a particular
group of sounds capable of a particular
grammatical employment.
 Word

Word is the basic unit of language

resulting from the association of a
particular meaning with a particular
group of sounds capable of a particular
grammatical employment.
 Vocabulary

Vocabulary is the system formed by

the sum total of all the words and
word-equivalents of a language.
 Questions
How can you characterize etymology as a branch
of Linguistics?
What is specific about word equivalents?
What makes up a word?

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