Chapter 1: Lexis and Structure PDF

CHAPTER ONE AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LEXIS AND STRUCTURE MACAULAY MOWARIN, Ph.D Professor of English & Literary Studies Department of English & Literary Studies Faculty of Arts Delta State University, Abraka. GENERAL INTRODUCTION Lexis and structure which are also known a...

CHAPTER ONE AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LEXIS AND STRUCTURE MACAULAY MOWARIN, Ph.D Professor of English & Literary Studies Department of English & Literary Studies Faculty of Arts Delta State University, Abraka. GENERAL INTRODUCTION Lexis and structure which are also known as the study of the word and, the stracture of the sentence constitute the two most basic units of grammar. Huddleston, R. (1988:1) states the importance of lexis and structure thus:The HO most basic units of grammar are the word and the sentence. One shcomponent of grammar called morphology deals with forms of words while the other called syntax deals with the way words combine to form sentences" L.1 The Word The term word is used in a number ofrelated ways in different contexts. However, a word can simply be defined as a unit that is assigned to specific class. In the study of the English Language, words are studied under two broad zeas: lexis and vocabulary., Although these two concepts are not quite distinct, there is still a difference between them as attested by Oluikpe,(1981:46): thus "Vocabulary refers to words and their precise dictionary meanings. Lexis is a broader concept which refers to words and their various connections and collocations such as their synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, idioms and their fgurative usages". 1.1.2 Word And Context Basd on the context in which a word is used, it can be divided and interpreted Ithree ways. They are spoken and written Word, word forms and lexeme, and ical and grammatical words.