Lecture 2 Lexicography of the English language

Lecture 2 Lexicography of the English language

Plan 1. Lexicography as a science 2. Dictionary: notion, functions, classifications. 3. The most burning issues

Lexicography theory and practice of compiling dictionaries

The object of study the vocabulary of the language

Dictionary a list of words with their definitions, a list of characters, or a list of words with corresponding words in other languages

Dictionaries may contain pronunciation information; Ø grammatical information; Ø word derivations, histories, or etymologies; Ø illustrations; Ø usage guidance; Ø examples in phrases or sentences; Ø

Two main functions of dictionaries: The communication-oriented function comprises text reception (understanding), text production, text revision, and translation; Ø The knowledge-oriented function deals with situations where the dictionary is used for acquiring specific knowledge about a particular matter, and for acquiring general knowledge about something. Ø

Classification of dictionaries Ø Monolingual (information is given in the same language) Ø bilingual

Classification of dictionaries according to the choice of items included and the sort of information given about them ØEncyclopaedic dictionary is a thing-book dealing with concepts-objects and phenomena, their origin and development, relations to other concepts, etc. ex. the Encyclopaedia Britannica in 24 volumes ØLinguistic dictionary is a word-book, its subject matter is vocabulary units – their semantic structure, usage, etc. Words are usually listed alphabetically with definitions, pronunciations, etymologies and other linguistic information or with equivalents in other languages. ex. Longman English dictionary

Classification of linguistic dictionaries according to the nature of the word Ø General dictionaries include a wide range of data about the vocabulary, items in ordinary use. Ø Restricted dictionaries contain lexical units from a certain part of the word stock

Classification of general dictionaries according to the information provided Ø Ø Explanatory dictionaries: mostly deal with the form, usage and meaning of words. Specialized dictionaries deal with lexical units only in relation to their etymology or frequency or pronunciation: a) Translation dictionaries: contain vocabulary items in one language and their equivalents in another language. b) Learner’s dictionaries: are specially compiled foreign language learners at different stages of advancement.

c) dictionaries of synonyms: enumerate words close in meaning, explain the difference in semantic structure, use and style. ex. A Dictionary of English Synonyms and Synonymous Expressions by R. Soule and Webster’s Dictionary of Synonyms d) phraseological dictionaries: enumerate all forms of linguistic anomalies which are approved by usage. ex. A Desk–Book of Idioms and Idiomatic Phrases by F. N. Vizetelly and L. G. De Bekker, The Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs, Book of English Idioms by V. H. Collins e) dictionaries of collocations: contain words which freely combine with the given head– words. ex. A. Reum’s Dictionary of English Style

The classification of restricted dictionaries Ø dictionaries of word-frequency: frequency counts of English reading. based on ex. The Teacher’s Books of 30, 000 Words by E. L. Thorndike and I. Lorge Ø etymological dictionaries: words to the oldest forms available. trace present–day ex. W. Skeat’s Etymological Dictionary of the English language Ø pronouncing dictionaries: pronunciation. record contemporary ex. English Pronouncing Dictionary by Daniel Jones Ø ideological (ideographic) dictionaries: words in these dictionaries are grouped by the concepts expressed, i. e. according to their semantic fields. ex. P. M. Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases

The most burning issues of lexicography 1) The selection of head-words: How far a dictionary should admit the historical? Selection between scientific and technical terms? Whether a dictionary should cover all the words of the language, including neologisms, nonce-words, slang, non-assimilated borrowings, foreign words, etc? Ø Should a dictionary be perceptive and prohibitive (should dictionary-makers attempt to improve and stabilize the vocabulary according to the best classical samples and advise the readers on preferable usage)? Ø Should the frequency of the usage of words be taken into consideration (this is a modern criterion)? Ø Ø Ø

The most burning issues of lexicography Ø Ø Ø 2) The arrangement and contents of the vocabulary entry: Which of the selected units have the right to a separate entry and which are to be included under one common head-word. Should the derivatives with suffixes –er, -ing, -ness, -ly be included in a dictionary Differentiation and the sequence of various meanings of a polysemantic word. A synchronic dictionary should also show the distribution of every word. Many dictionaries indicate the different stylistical levels to which the words belong: colloquial, technical, poetic, rhetorical, archaic, familiar, vulgar, slang and the words’ expressive colouring: emphatic, ironical, diminutive, facetious.

Bibliography 1. Карапетова, Е. Г. Основы английской морфологии: Учеб. пособие для студентов 4 курса. На английском языке / Е. Г. Карапетова. – Барановичи: БГВПК, 2002. – 67 c. 2. Карапетова, Е. Г. Теоретическая грамматика английского языка. Морфология: Учеб. пособие для студентов 4 курса. На английском языке/ Е. Г. Карапетова. – Барановичи: БГВПК, 2001. – 69 c. 3. Blokh, M. Y. A Course in Theoretical English Grammar / M. Y. Blokh. M. , 2000. – 654 p. 4. Ilyish B. The Structure of Modern English / B. Ilyish. – L. , 1971. – 545 p. 5. Khaimovich, B. S. A Course in English Grammar / B. S. Khaimovich, B. I. Rogovskaya. – M. , 1967. – 540 p.