英语词汇学chapter1课件.ppt

English Lexicology Chapter 1 Basic Concepts of Words and Vocabulary Chapter 1 gives a scientific definition of a word, discusses the relationship between sound and meaning, between sound and form, between words and vocabulary, puts forward the three main principles of lexical classification and elaborates on the features of basic word stock and non-basic vocabulary, content words and functional words, native words and borrowed words. Main Points 1. Definition of a word 2. Sound and meaning 3. Sound and form 4. Vocabulary 5. Classification of words basic word stock and non-basic vocabulary content words and functional words native words and borrowed words 1.1 Definition of a word There has been no agreed definition to the term “word”. The definition may have the following versions: a minimal free form of a language; a sound unity; a unit of meaning; a form that can function alone in a sentence. To sum up, we can say that “a word is a minimal free form of a language that has a given sound and meaning and syntactic function”. 1.2 Sound and Meaning As for the relationship between sound and meaning, there has been no agreement. One is called the Naturalists(自然派)， the other is called the Conventionalists(习惯派). The former think there exists an intrinsic correspondence between sound and sense, while the latter think “there is no logical relationship between the sound which stands for a thing or an idea and the actual thing and idea itself” (Lodwig and Barrett 1973). The relationship between them is conventional. e.g. 1.2 Sound and Meaning What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet. Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet Act II, Scene 2 In Shakespeare’s opinion, if we use another word instead of the word “rose”, this kind of 玫瑰花 smells sweet, too.