The connection of lexicology with stylistics.
Lecture 1
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LEXICOLOGY
1. Lexicology as the branch of linguistics
2. The connection of lexicology with phonetics, grammar and stylistics
3. The theoretical and practical value of lexicology
Lexicology as the branch of linguistics.
Lexicology (from Greek lexis ‘word’ and logos ‘learning’) is the part of linguistics dealing with the vocabulary of a language and the properties of words as the main units of language. It studies the vocabulary of a given language.
The term vocabulary is used to denote the system formed by the totality of words in the language.
The term word denotes the basic unit of a given language resulting from the association of a particular meaning with a particular group of sounds capable of a particular grammatical employment. Therefore a word is simultaneously a semantic, grammatical and phonological unit.
The general study of words and vocabulary, irrespective of the specific features of any particular language, is known as general lexicology. Special lexicology is devoted to the description of the characteristic peculiarities in the vocabulary of a given language.
The evolution of any vocabulary, as well as its single elements, forms the object of historical lexicology (or diachronic (from Greek dia ‘through’ and chronos ‘time’). This part of linguistics discusses the origin of words, their change and development in the course of time.
The study of the vocabulary in its synchronic aspect, at a given stage of its development is the subject-matter of descriptive lexicology (or synchronic (from Greek syn ‘together’,’with’). The descriptive lexicology of the English language deals with the English word in its morphological and semantical structures, investigating the independence between these two aspects.
Subsequent investigations have shown the possibility and the necessity of introducing the historical point of view into systematic studies even in phonology. It is important to take into consideration that in language reality the two aspects are inderpendent and cannot be understood without one another.
The lexical system of every epoch contains productive elements typical for this particular period; some elements which are obsolete and dropping out of usage; some new phenomena, significant marks of new trends for the epochs to come. And even the vocabulary shows all these changes.
A major interest is presented by linguistic relationships of lexical units within the vocabulary. Distinction must be made at this point between syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations. The former (syntagmatic relationships) are based on the linear character of speech and are studied by means of contextual, transformational and other types of analysis. In paradigmatic relationships we naturally distinguish:
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a) the interdependence of elements within words;
b) the interdependence of words within the vocabulary;
c) the influence of other aspects of the same language.
Therefore, the English vocabulary as a system, with specific peculiarities of its own, is constantly developing and conditioned by the history of the English people and the structure of the language.
The connection of lexicology with phonetics, grammar and stylistics.
The main task of lexicology is the study of the vocabulary of a given language. The word, as the main unit of it, is studied not in lexicology only. It is closely connected with phonetics, stylistics and, especially, grammar.
2.1. The connection of lexicology with phonetics.
All words consist of phonemes and therefore phonemes participate in signification. Of course they have no meaning of their own. Phonemes are not lexicologically irrelevant: as their function is building up morphemes, they serve to distinguish between meanings. It may be based:
1) due to the position of stress;
e.g. import – [ ] – n. імпорт, ввезення / [ ] – v. імпортувати; означати, мати на увазі
absent - [ ] – adj .відсутній / [ ] – v. відлучитися, бути відсутнім
object - [ ] – n. предмет, річ, об’єкт / [ ] –v.заперечувати, протестувати
2) due to the pattern phonemes produce;
e.g. black snake – чорна змія / blacksnake – 1.полоз-удав; 2. ямайська чорна змія
green house – зелений дім / greenhouse - оранжерея
a dancing girl – дівчина, що танцює / a dancing-girl – танцюристка
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3) due to their historical development;
e.g. The word whole originally meant “unharmed” (неушкоджений) and now it means “цілий, весь”; the word carriage which had (and still has) the meaning “a vehicle drawn by horses”, but, with the first appearance of railways in England, it received a new meaning, that of “ a railway car”.
4) due to phonetic difference in pronunciation;
e.g. hop – [ ] – стрибок / hope – [ ] – надія, сподівання
read – [ ] – pt. прочитати / read – [ ] - v . читати
2.2. The connection of lexicology with grammar. The lexical meaning of a word is very often determined by the grammatical context in which it occurs:
e.g. to smoke a cigarette – палити / to smoke fish, meat, etc. – консервувати;
the table is round (as an article of furniture) / the fruit was unfit for table (as a meal);
remember+gerund refers to the past and means “not to need to be reminded” (I remember doing so) / remember+infinitive refers to the future and means “not to omit to do smth” (Remember to go to the post-office);
the verb to mean+infinitive means “to intend” (He had never really meant to write letter (he had never intended to do this) / to mean+gerund means “to signify” (This means changing all my plans).
The connection of lexicology with stylistics.
Stylistics have many problems treated in lexicology. These are the problems of meaning, synonymy, differentiation of vocabulary according to the sphere of communication and some other issues.
The study of the vocabulary leads us to the observation that many words suggest more than they literally mean, and sometimes words which have the same literal or actual meaning (denotation) differ widely in their suggested meaning (connotation). Some words are more general, colourless and neutral in tone. But other words have a distinctly literary or poetic flavour, or suggestion, which may be colloquial (informal), formal, humorous, vulgar, slangy, childish and so on through the various labels by which we may indicate the standing level of a word.
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3. The theoretical and practical value of lexicology.
The theoretical value of lexicology becomes obvious as it forms the study of one of the three main aspects of language: its vocabulary, grammar and sound system. Lexicology came into being to meet the needs of many different branches of applied linguistics such as lexicography, literary criticism, standardization of terminology, information retrieval and even foreign language teaching.
The practical value of lexicology is that it gives not only a semantic description of the present make-up of the vocabulary, but also helps to master the literary standards of word usage. The correct use of words is an important counterpart of expressive and effective speech. A good knowledge of the system of word-formation helps to guess and retain in his memory the meaning of new words; to compare and contrast them with the previously learned elements and patterns; to prevent many mistakes.
Lexicology plays a prominent part in the general linguistic training. It also impacts the necessary skills of using different kinds of dictionaries and reference books, and prepares for future independent work on increasing and improving one’s vocabulary.
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