Modern English Lexicology

Introduction

September, 2009 Wang Haizhen

Outline

Instructor introduction Course introduction Chapter 1: Introduction to Lexicology

About instructor

Name: Wang Haizhen Working experience:1993Learning experience: 1993;1998;2007 Academic interests: applied linguistics; CALL, language testing E-mail address: uuwanghz@sina.com Mobile: 13912633880 Course e-mail: lexicology_2009@yahoo.cn; password: suda0704

Course introduction: objectives

To understand the importance of lexis or words in English learning; To learn the basic concepts and fundamental theories in lexicology; To learn about word formation and words in use; To work out vocabulary learning strategies; To enable students to practice lexical knowledge in their language use.

Course plan

16/17 lectures + 2 student presentations Week 1: introduction; Week 2: Chapter 1; Week 3: Chapter 2; Week 4: Chapter 3 Classroom activities: action-oriented; problem-solving activities (led by Whquestions) After-class assignment in mini-research form

Course requirement

Autonomous pre-class preparation;

Ask yourself questions while reading; Note down the difficult points you want to discuss. Form into groups of 4; find your learning partner; Group work + pair work Finish weekly homework; Complete a lexicology-related research with your group members for this course.

Active in-class participation and cooperation

Collaborative work/research after class

Course evaluation

Class presence (10%) Class performance (20%) Group research (70%)

A lexicology-related topic; An oral presentation + a printed paper Self-evaluation + within-group evaluation + intergroup evaluation + instructor evaluation

An introduction to lexicology

What is lexicology? How are these terms different -- words, lexis, vocabulary & lexicon? How to define word? How important is lexicology? What do you expect to learn from this course?

What is lexicology? (1)

--the study of lexis --the stock of words in a given language -ology also -logy suffix : the study of sth, especially sth scientific

geology (=the study of rocks and the Earth) climatology (=the study of climate) Egyptology (=the study of ancient Egypt)

What is lexicology? (2)

Lexicology is the study of lexis, or the science of words. Lexicology is the branch of linguistics that investigates, describes and theorizes about vocabulary. (Jackson & Amvela 2000, Words, Meaning
and Vocabulary: An Introduction to Modern English Lexicology)

Question: What do we mean by lexis? Words? Vocabulary? Are they the same?

lexis [Longman] n [U] [Language: Greek; Origin: LEXICON] technical all the words in a language = vocabulary the lexicon: technical all the words and phrases used in a language or that a particular person knows; (linguistics) vocabulary (contrasted with grammar) E.g. mental lexicon: a language users knowledge of words
Also refer to p.5.

Question: How to define word?

Do words exist? (1) Can we easily cut a sound sequence into separate words? Based on the length of pauses?

E.g. Dowordsexist? Therearenospacebetweenspokenwords.

(2) Can we conveniently demarcate words by the writing system? E.g.

a new waste paper basket waste paper basket & a new waste attorney generals Ill go out; the King of Englands

Question: Do words exist? Answer: Yes, but its difficult to define a word.

What is Bloomfields definition of word?

Leonard Bloomfield (1887-1949), an influential linguist Homework 1: Find more information about Leonard Bloomfield Discussion: Bloomfields definition of word

A word is a minimal free form.

T or F
( ) A word is a minimal form. ( ) A word is a free form. ( ) A word is smaller than a phrase but larger than a sound segment.

More concepts: morpheme; free form; bound form

morpheme

smallest meaningful unit into which a word can be divided Question: Which is smaller? A morpheme or a word? Question: How many morphemes does each of the following words consist?

boyish; unlikely; receive; classroom

Answer:

boyish (boy-ish); unlikely (un-like-ly); classroom (class-room)

Question: How are the structures of boyish and classroom different?

Free form & bound form

A form which may occur alone is free. A form which may not occur alone is bound. Question: Identify free or bound forms: free, freedom, -dom, learn, learning, -s, -ing, -ed. Can you give more examples? Reading comprehension check: (p.4) a word is viewed as a form which can occur in isolation and have meaning but which cannot be analyzed into elements which can all occur alone and also have meaning.

Question: What characteristics do words have?

Discuss the question and explain the following terms: affix, suffix, prefix; stem, root; complex words, compound words; phrases; word class, part of speech.

Characteristics of words (1)

(1)The word is an uninterruptible unit.

E.g. lock, read

Prefix: [Longman] technical a group of letters that is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning and make a new word, such as 'un' in 'untie' or 'mis' in 'misunderstand; Suffix: [Longman] a letter or letters added to the end of a word to form a new word, such as 'ness' in 'kindness' or 'ly' in 'suddenly' Affix: prefix + suffix (+ infix)

Stem; root

Reading comprehension check: (p. 4) The word to which affixes are added and which carries the basic meaning of the resulting complex word is known as the stem, which may consist of one or more morphemes. Question: How do stem and root differ? E.g. beginning, roots, rootlessness, unlikely

Characteristics of words (2)

(2) The word may consist of one or more morphemes. If one morpheme (e.g. dog, hand, out) , then a simple word (minimum free form). Question: What are complex words? Compound words? 1 free form + 1 bound form complex word 1 free form + 1 free form compound word (gentlemanlike) Exceptions: gentle-man-ly; under-develop-ed

Characteristics of words (3)

(3) The word occurs typically in the structure of phrases.

sentences

clauses

Question: Where to put phrases in the language structure? Answer:

phrases

words

morphemes

Reading comprehension check: (p. 5) This phenomenon is called rank shift by Halliday (1994). rank shift E.g. The man who came late was my brother.

Homework 2: Find more information about Halliday

Characteristics of words (4)

(4) The word belongs to a specific word class or part of speech. Question: How do you understand word class or part of speech?

How important is lexicology?

Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed. (D.A. Wilkins) 2004 Words are bricks to a language. Words build meaning and convey thoughts.

What do you expect to learn from this course?

Open to discussion.

Mini-research 1 (generation)
How to express the following in English? What do they mean? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. What other similar expressions do you know?

Mini-research 2 (modern acronyms)

Give the Chinese of the following acronyms and define. 1. 3C 2. 3G 3. GSM 4. SIM 5. TDMA 6. CDMA 7. LCD 8. UMPC 9. SUV 10. CD-ROM 11. IT 12. DVD 13. HTML 14. LAN 15. RAM What other similar acronyms can you find?

Mini-research 3 (emoticons & IM-speak)

Emoticon=emotion + icon IM-speak= instant messaging-speak

Explain the following. What else can you find? 1. ;) 2. :-D 3. :-0 4. B4 5. b/c 5. GR8 7. IMHO 8. OTOH 9. SRI 10. SYS 11.TIA 12. TBC 13. POV 14. VG 15. w/o

Mini-research 4 ()

Give the English for the following and explain. 1. 2. / 3. 4. 5. / 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Mini-research 5 (the most beautiful English words Top 70)

To celebrate its 70th anniversary, on Nov. 24, 2004, the British Culture Association carried a poll about the most beautiful words in the English language. Over 40,000 people in 46 countries and regions voted. Whats the result? Give the top 70 most beautiful English words and their Chinese equivalents.

Mini-research 6

Give information about Leonard Bloomfield.

Mini-research 7

Give information about M.A.K.Halliday.

Mini-research 8

Give information about Ferdinand de Saussure.

Mini-research 9

Give information about Louis Hjelmslev.

Plan for Week 2

1. 2.

Finish our discussion of Chapter 1. Present (orally, with the help of PPT slides) to the class your mini-research results.