The subject of Lexicology and types of Lexicology Branches of English Lexicology Connections with other branches of Linguistics

Etymology: Old English word ; related to Old High German wort , Old Norse orth , Gothic waurd , Latin verbum , Sanskrit vratá - command.
The word is always in the focus of the lexicological analysis as the most comprehensive language unit. When we talk about meaning, we refer to its bearer, as meaning is an ideal, mental entity which we can not see or touch.
The term vocabulary is used to denote the total system of all the words and word equivalents that a language possesses. 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. A word therefore is simultaneously a semantic, grammatical and phonological unit.
The system showing a word in all its word-forms is called its paradigm. Thus, the paradigm of the verb `speak` is `speaks, speak, spoke, spoken, speaking`, of the noun `text` - `texts, text’s, texts`.
Lexical varieties of a word are termed lexico-semantic variants (LSVs) of the word and are used in contexts showing different meanings of polysemantic words: Example: Cat as a noun has 4 generally accepted lexico-semantic variants (LSVs), but might have also some technical options:

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  cat 1: a carnivorous furry mammal long domesticated and useful for keeping down mice;
  
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  cat 2: the fur or pelt of a domestic cat;
  
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  cat 3: any other member of the family, such as a lion, tiger, etc.;
  
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  cat 4: a malicious or spiteful woman.
  

However, in phraseological units the word ‘cat’ might acquire additional, connotational meanings, e.g. let the cat out of the bag, a game of cat and mouse, put the cat among the pigeons, etc.
Besides this, we must distinguish phonetic (often, again) and morphological variants (phonetic-phonetical). Within the language system the word exists as a system and unity of all its forms and variants, within its specific paradigm.
The major units of vocabulary are words, parts of words (morphemes) and set expressions. Any word has a sound form and a fixed morphological structure. A mere change in the order of morphemes is accompanied by a change in its meaning, e.g. ‘schoolboy‘ / ‘boy school‘. The most adequate working definition of the term `word` is as follows: “The word is the smallest unit of the language capable of functioning alone. It is characterised by the association of a given meaning with a given phonemic and a given morphological structure.” (Ginzburg R.S. et all). It has been rightly stressed that the word is the basic unit of both vocabulary and grammar and should be viewed in terms of the unity of the lexical and the grammatical aspects of the language.
The word may be motivated either 1) phonetically, 2) morphologically or 3) semantically: E.g.:
1) hiss, zipper, drip-drop – phonetic motivation;
2) re-write, self-sufficient, snow-white – morphological (structural) motivation;
3) hand > the hand of the clock > hands (workers) – semantic (metaphoric) motivation.
Motivation is the connection between the form of the word (its phonetic and morphemic composition and its structural pattern) and its meaning.
It is very important to know the different ways of the analysis of lexical units: in respect to their origin or structure, meaning or idiomatic usage, etc. But in all cases we must bear in mind the timing of those phenomena, that is, we should remember, that they may be analysed synchronically or diachronically.
These two approaches have different purposes of investigation, however their results do not contrast, but enrich our knowledge of a language phenomenon.
E.g. daisy < O.E. days’ eyes
lord < O.E. hlæf - (loaf) weard (guard)
lady < O.E. hlæf-dige (knead)
To sum up the above, the tasks of Lexicology as a science are:

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  To give systematic description of the English vocabulary according to lexical criteria;
  
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  To present its etymological peculiarities;
  
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  To classify the vocabulary units based on structural, derivational, semantic, combinatory and other criteria;
  
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  To study the rules of enriching the vocabulary;
  
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  To describe variants of English, etc.
  

The importance of Special lexicology in training a would-be teacher of languages is of special character and cannot be overestimated as it helps to stimulate a systematic approach to the facts of vocabulary and an organised comparison of the foreign and native language. It is particularly useful in building up the learner’s vocabulary by an effective selection, grouping and analysis of new words. New words are better remembered if they are given not at random but organised in thematic groups, word-families, synonymic series, etc.
Thus, a good knowledge of the system of word-formation furnishes a tool helping the student to guess and retain in his memory the meaning of new words on the basis of their motivation and by comparing and contrasting them with the previously learned elements and patterns.
A working knowledge and understanding of functional styles and stylistic synonyms is indispensable when literary texts are used as a basis for acquiring oral skills, for analytical reading, discussing fiction and translation. Lexicology not only gives a systematic description of the present make-up of the vocabulary, but also helps students to master their linguistic competence.
Lexicology plays a prominent part in the general linguistic training of every philologist by giving an insight into the knowledge acquired during all his previous years at the foreign language faculty. It also imparts 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.