[教材]英语词汇学教程chater1

[教材]英语词汇学教程chater1 英语词汇学教程chater1 Chapter 1 A General Survey of English Vocabulary I. Definition of Lexicology The term “lexicology” was originally formed with two Greek morphemes. The two morphemes are separately “lexicon” and “logie”. “Lexicon” refers to “word” and “logie” refers to “learning” or “the study of”. So “lexicology” means “the science of words”. Lexicology is a branch of linguistics concerned with the study of vocabulary of a given language. It deals with words, their origin, development, history, structure, meaning, and application. In short, it is the study of the signification and application of words (AITEL). Lexicology is a branch of linguistics, inquiring into the origins and meanings of words (WNWD). English Lexicology aims at investigating and studying the morphological structures of English words and word equivalents, their semantic structures, relations, historical development, formation, and usages. Morphology Lexicology Semantics II. Nature of Lexicology 1. Importance of Lexicology As we all know, language study involves the study of speech sounds, grammar, and vocabulary. But most of all, vocabulary has proved to be the most important and the most difficult one in the study of the language. 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 rich stocks of words, idioms, and usages as well. Naturally, there will be a large quantity of practice involved. 2. Significance of Studying Lexicology The significance of the course in English lexicology for language learning is also evident. The study of lexicology will help the learners to enlarge their vocabulary and improve their ability to analyze and use English words effectively. For instance, the study of new words, synonyms, figures of speech, etc. will arouse the interest of the learners on the one hand, and enhance their ability to choose the correct and expressive words in writing and speech on the other hand. III. Basic Concepts of Words and Vocabulary 1. The Definition of a Word A word may be defined as one of the fundamental units of speech and as having a minimal free form. It is a unit of sound and meaning, capable of performing a given syntactical function. The definition of a word will cover the following points: (1) a minimal free form of a language; (2) a sound unity; (3) a unit of meaning; (4) a form that can function alone in a sentence. 2. Vocabulary (1) Vocabulary is one of the three elements of language: speed sound, grammar, and vocabulary. It’s the study of the signification and application of words. Broadly speaking, all the words in a language together constitute what is known as its vocabulary. (2) The term vocabulary usually refers to a complete inventory of the words in a language. But it may also refer to the words and phrases used in the variants of a language, such as dialect, register, terminology, etc. 3. Sound and Meaning There is no logical or intrinsic connection between a sound and what it refers to. The relation between sound and meaning is almost always arbitrary or conventional. The same language can use the same sound to mean different things and the different languages use different sounds to refer to the same thing. 4. Sound and Form It is generally agreed that the written form of a natural language is the orthographical record of the oral form. The written form of English is not an accurate representation of the spoken form. There are different causes of the differences between sounds and forms in the English language. (1) The English alphabet was adopted form the Romans, which does not employ the system of one single letter to stand for one sound. (2) Pronunciation has changed more rapidly than the spelling. (3) The early scribes deliberately changed spelling of words to make a line even or for easier recognition. (4) Dictionaries help to fix the spelling of words. (5) English has borrowed many words from other language which may not have been assimilated. 5. Classification of Words (1) the basic word stock & nonbasic vocabulary---- by use frequency ?The fundamental features of the basic word stock: i. All national character Words of the basic word stock belong to the people as a whole, not to a limited group. They are not limited to a certain region or to a certain profession. ii. Stability The words in the basic word stock are likely to remain unchanged, because these words denote the commonest thing necessary to life. This stability, however, is relative, for changes take place in it very slowly over centuries, in contrast to rapid development of technical words. iii. Productivity Basic words are very active in forming new words, eg. “hand” forms such derivatives and compounds as: handful, handy, handily, handbag, handball, handwriting. iv. Collocability Basic words combine readily with other words to form habitual expressions and phrases. e.g.: under sb’s nose 在某人眼皮底下 look down one’s nose at 小看 with one’s nose in the air 目中无人 地 nose out 闻出 see no further than one’s nose 鼠目寸 光 pay through the nose 花代价过大 lead sb. by the nose 牵着别人的 鼻子走 have one’s nose open 春心荡漾 get one’s nose down to 专心致志于 a nose of wax 耳朵软的人 cut one’s nose to spite one’s face 拿自己出气 turn up one’s nose at 蔑视 poke one’s nose into 探问 have a nose for 很善于发现 with one’s nose in a book 埋头于书本 rub sb’s nose in it 揭某人的 伤疤 nose ahead 险胜 keep one’s nose clean 洁身自好 get up sb’s nose 使某人恼怒 bloody sb’s nose 伤害某人的自尊心 as plain as the nose on you face 一目了 然 v. Polysemy All the words in the basic word stock are always polysyms, their semantic meanings were changed during the development of history, thus they became polysyms. The importance of the basic word stock: It is the foundation of the vocabulary accumulated over centuries and forms the common core of the language. It is the most important part of vocabulary. ? non-basic word stock i. terminology ii. jargon iii. slang iv. argot v. dialectal words vi. archaisms vii. neologisms (2) Content words & Functional words---- by notion ? Content words denote clear notions and thus are known as notional words. They are nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and numerals. Content words are used to name objects, qualities, actions, process, or states, etc. and they have independent meaning. ? Function words are characteristics of their grammatical functions. They do not have much lexical meaning of their own, and some have no lexical learning at all. They serve to show the relationship between content words, they are often short words such as determiners, conjunctions, prepositions, auxiliaries, articles and so on. They don’t have much lexical meaning but only serve grammatically. ? The differences between function words and content words: Content words are quite natural for people to use in different occupations, different places and at different time. They belong to an open list which is open in the sense that it is definitely extendible and new lexical items are constantly being created and no one could make a complete list of all the content words in English. However, function words are few in number, they constitute the most frequently used group of words. And the form and meaning of function words always are not changeable and extendible. Content words as a class are characterized by low frequency of occurrence in comparison with function words. 3) Native words & Borrowed words--- by origin ? Native words known as Anglo-Saxon words, are words brought to Britain in the 5th century by the Germanic tribes. And the main part of words in the English basic word stock are native words. ? Borrowed words are those words which are borrowed from other languages. i. denizens ii. aliens iii. translation loans iv. semantic loans 4) simple words, compound words and derived words---- by word formation ? Simple words are those consisting of a single morpheme such as man, work, king. ? Compound words are those which are composed of two or more free morphemes. Eg: forget-me-not, deep structure, space suit. ? Derived words are those which are the result of derivational process, such as words usually consist of free morpheme and one or more than one bound morpheme, such as fruitless, fruitful, unfruitful, unfruitfulness. IV. Synchronic and Diachronic Lexicology Methods of Study There are generally two approaches to the study of words, namely synchronic and diachronic. From a synchronic point of view, words can be studied at a point in time, disregarding whatever changes might be taking place. For example, the word wife now means “a married woman”, esp. in relation to her husband.” This is the current meaning. It has an obsolete meaning “woman,”, which is only preserved in midwife, housewife, etc. However, if we take a diachronic perspective, we will consider the word historically, looking into its origin and changes in form and meaning. In this light, the word wife evolved form the Old English wif, meaning “woman”, but later it became specialized in the course of development to the modern meaning “a married woman”. In our linguistic inquiry into the English vocabulary, though our focus is on the synchronic description of words, we need the diachronic approach as a supplement, for a knowledge of historical development of the vocabulary will definitely be of great help to us in our study of lexicology. ?? ?? ?? ?? 1