Lexicology: Study of Words and Their Meanings
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a component of the morphological structure of a word?

  • Syntax
  • Phrase
  • Morpheme (correct)
  • Sentence

The prefix 'ir-' in the word 'irresistible' indicates affirmation.

False (B)

What is the root of the word 'irresistible'?

resist

The __________ structure of a word refers to its complete form in a given language.

<p>external</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the role of a word in a sentence?

<p>Syntactic structure (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Words can be considered indivisible units in all contexts.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ible' signify in the word 'irresistible'?

<p>capable of being</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following components of morphological structure with their descriptions:

<p>Root = Core part of the word carrying primary meaning Affixes = Prefixes, suffixes, and modifications Inflectional endings = Indicate grammatical properties Bound morphemes = Morphemes that cannot stand alone</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'lexicology' primarily study?

<p>The study of words and their meanings (B), The study of sentence structure (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Lexicology is concerned with the historical development of languages only.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of a word with a complex internal structure.

<p>Unhappiness</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Greek word 'lexis' means _____ and 'logos' means _____ in the context of lexicology.

<p>word; study</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following aspects of a word with their descriptions:

<p>Phonological structure = Sound pattern of the word Inflectional forms = Variations of a base word Compound words = Multiple words forming a single concept Clitics = Elements functioning like words but not standing alone</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the difference between inflectional and derivational affixes?

<p>Inflectional affixes indicate grammatical relationships, while derivational affixes change meaning or category. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of a 'word' is universally defined the same across all languages.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main problems in defining a word as a linguistic phenomenon?

<p>The boundaries of what constitutes a word are not always clear.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Lexicology Definition

The study of words, their meanings, development, and relationships within a language.

Word Definition Problem

Defining a 'word' in linguistics is difficult due to compound words, clitics, inflectional forms, and variations in how different languages use words.

Inflectional Affixes

Affixes that change the grammatical function of a base word, but do not change its fundamental meaning.

Derivational Affixes

Affixes that create new words by changing the fundamental meaning of the base word.

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Compound Words

Words formed by combining multiple words to create a new concept.

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Clitics

Word-like elements that cannot stand alone in a sentence.

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Lexical Semantics

The study of the meanings of words, including how they function in various contexts.

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Word Structure

Different aspects of words, including pronunciation/phonological patterns and form.

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Morphological Structure

The internal makeup of a word, showing how morphemes (smallest meaning units) combine.

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Root Morpheme

The core part of a word that carries its primary meaning.

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Affixes

Parts added to a root morpheme to modify its meaning (prefixes, suffixes, etc.).

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Inflectional Endings

Suffixes indicating grammatical features (tense, number, etc.), without changing core meaning.

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External Structure

The complete form of a word as it appears in a language, including all morphemes.

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Internal Structure

The arrangement of morphemes within a word, revealing its composition.

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Formal Unity of a Word

The concept of a word being a cohesive unit, functioning independently in language.

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Indivisibility of Words?

While words appear unified, they can be analyzed into morphemes, sounds, and even parts in some cases.

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Study Notes

Lexicology

  • Lexicology is the branch of linguistics that studies words, their meanings, development, and relationships within a language.
  • It comes from the Greek words "lexis" (word) and "logos" (study).
  • Main problems in lexicology include defining words, understanding word meaning (polysemy, synonymy), word formation (processes like derivation, compounding), etymology (word origins), lexical relations (synonyms, antonyms), and lexical semantics (word meaning in context).

Problems Defining "Word"

  • Defining "word" is difficult because boundaries are not always clear.
  • Words are units of meaning but can be unclear in compound words, clitics (elements like "n't"), inflectional forms (variations of a base word), and phonological/syntactic units.

Word Structure

  • External structure: A word's complete form in a given language. (e.g. "irresistible" has root "resist," prefix "ir-", suffix "-ible").
  • Internal structure: This describes the morphemes (smallest meaningful units) that make up a word. Morphemes can be roots, prefixes, suffixes, etc. (e.g. in "irresistible," "ir-" negates the meaning of "resist" and "-ible" indicates it's an adjective).

Formal Unity of a Word

  • Words are seen as single, coherent units in language and considered indivisible.
  • However, words can be broken down into smaller meaningful units (morphemes).
  • Phonological, morphological, and syntactic factors support the complexity rather than indivisibility.

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Description

This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of lexicology, the branch of linguistics focused on the study of words, their meanings, and their relationships within language. Key topics include defining 'word', word structure, and lexical relations such as synonymy and antonymy.

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