词汇学考试题及答案

1.give the definition of the lexicology.

2. give the definition of the word

3. what are the main three types of word formation and the main features of the three types?

4. what are they characteristics of the English idioms?

5. what do you think of the course: English lexicology.

第一题

Lexicology is a branch of linguistics inquiring into the origins and meanings of words. (WNWD)

English lexicology is a subbranch of linguistics. But it embraces other academic disciplines, such as morphology, semantics, etymology, stylistics, lexicography. Morphology: the branch of grammar, studies the structure or form of words, primarily through the use of morpheme construct.

Etymology: traditionally used for the study of the origins and history of the form and meaning of words.

Semantics: the study of meanings of different linguistics levels: lexis, syntax, utterance, discourse, etc.

Stylistics: the study of style, concerned with the user’s choices of linguistic elements in a particular context for special effects.

Lexicography: record the language as it is used so as to present the genuine picture of words to the reader, providing authoritative reference. (Edit a dictionary).

第二题

The definition of a word comprises 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.

A word is a minimal free form of a language that has a given sound and meaning and syntactic function.

第三题

The most productive word formations are affixations, compounding and conversion. The rest of new words come from shortening including clipping and acronymy, together with words born out of blending and other means. While applying the rules, we should remember that there are always exceptions.

1. Affixation

Affixation is generally defined as the formation of words by adding word-forming or derivational affixes to stems. This process is also known as derivation, the words formed in this way are called derivations.

1.1 Prefixation. It is the formation of new words by adding prefixes to stems. The majority of prefixes are characterized by their non-class-changing nature.

Negative prefixes: a-, dis-, in- (il-, ir-, im-), non-, un-.

Reversative prefixes: de-, dis-, un-.

Pejorative prefixes: mal-, mis-, pseudo-.

Prefixes of degree or size: arch-, extra-, hyper-, macro-, micro-,mini-, out-, over-, sub-, super-, sur-, ultra-, under-.

Prefixes of orientation and attitude: anti-, contra-, counter-, pro-.

Locative prefixes: extra-, fore-, inter-, intra-, tele-, trans-.

Prefixes of time and order: ex-, fore-, post-, pre-, re-.

Number prefixes: bi-, multi- (poly-), semi- (hemi-), tri-, uni- (mono-). Miscellaneous prefixes: auto-, neo-, pan-, vice-.

1.2 Suffixation

It is the formation of new words by adding suffixes to stems. They mainly change the word class.

Noun suffixes:

a. Denominal nouns: Concrete: -eer, -er, -ess, -ette, - let; Abstract: -age, -dom, -ery, -ery (-ry), -hood, -ing, -sim, -ship.

b. Deverbal nouns:

To create nouns denoting people: -ant, -ee, -ent, -er (-or).

To produce abstract nouns, denoting action, result, process, state, etc.: -age, -al, -ance, -ation (-ition, -tion, -sion, -ion), -ence, -ing, -ment.

c. De-adjective nouns: -ity, -ness.

d. Noun and adjective suffixes: can be used both as nouns and adjectives: -ese, -an, -ist.

Adjective suffixes:

a. Denominal suffixes: -ed, -ful, -ish, -less, -like, -ly, -y; -al (-ial, -ical), -esque, -ic, -ous (-eous, -ious).

(Both –ic and –ical can be affixed to the same stem in some cases, but differ in meaning.)

b. Deverbal suffixes: –able (-ible), -ive (-ative, -sive).

Adverb suffixes: -ly, -ward(s), -wise.

Verb suffixes: -ate, -en, - (i)fy, -ize (-ise).

Some seemingly productive vogue affixes like –nik are still considered slang.

2. Compounding

It is the formation of new words by joining two or more stems, also called composition. Words formed in this way are called compounds.

A compound is a ‘lexicology unit consisting of more than one stem and functioning both grammatically and semantically as a single word’. They can be written solid, hyphenated and open.

2.1 Characteristics of Compounds

Open compounds are the same in form as free phrases. The difference:

Phonetic features: In compounds the word stress usually occurs on the first element. Semantic features: Every compound should express a single idea just as one word. Grammatical features: A compound tends to play a single grammatical role in a sentence.

2.2 Formation of Compounds

The three major classes of compounds: