AJ4201 Lexicology

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/4/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Olga Dontcheva-Navrátilová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Radek Vogel, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Olga Dontcheva-Navrátilová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ4201/01: Mon 12:00–13:50 učebna 54, R. Vogel
AJ4201/02: Tue 18:00–19:50 učebna 54, R. Vogel
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
understand the main lexikological and semantic concepts and the relations beetween them;
analyse the structure of words and multi-word lexemes and to explain word-formation processes;
know the types and components of meaning within a word/lexeme and the semantic relations between units of lexis;
characterise grammatical properties of individual word classes and possible transitions between them;
The students will also
be introduced to the stratification of the contemporary English word stock;
learn to distinguish between dialects and registers;
be acquainted with the origins and development of the English vocabulary and influences of other languages on it.
Learning outcomes
The student:
• is able to analyse the structure of a word and to identify and explain word-formation processes in English;
• can explain denotative and associative meanings of words and multi-word naming units;
• is able to justify his/her conclusions made in analysis of semantic relations between lexical units in a context;
• is able to find formal and functional differences between individual word classes;
• can describe and analyse the origin and development of the English word-stock.
Syllabus
  • 1. Lexicology as a linguistic discipline. Functional approach to linguistic analysis. Lexicography. Word stock, lexeme, word. Naming and communication.
  • 2. Lexical units. Semiotics – linguistic sign, its types and properties. Opaque and motivated naming units (derivations and compounds).
  • 3. Semantics – types and components of meaning. Semantic nucleus and semantic environment, connotation. Change of meaning. Stylistic differentiation of lexis.
  • 4. Diachronic and synchronic approach to the study of lexis. Development of English lexis. The main word-formation processes: derivation, compounding, conversion, semantic neologism.
  • 5. Minor word-formation processes: abbreviation, back-formation, blending, reduplication.
  • 6. Classification of lexis. Word classes. Open and closed classes.
  • 7. Properties of the principal word classes.
  • 8. Semantic relations between lexical units: homonymy, polysemy, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, paronymy.
  • 9. Figures of speech (metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, hyperbole, euphemism, dysphemism, litotes, simile, etc.).
  • 10. Lexical cohesion and coherence. Lexical chains.
  • 11. Stratification of English word stock. Standard British and American English. National varieties. Regional and social dialects. Pidgin and creole. Sociolects.
  • 12. Foreign influences on English word stock. Lexical borrowings.
Literature
    required literature
  • JACKSON, Howard and Etienne ZÉ AMVELA. Words, meaning and vocabulary : an introduction to modern English lexicology. 2nd ed. New York: Continuum, 2007, xii, 248. ISBN 9780826490186. info
  • VOGEL, Radek. Basics of Lexicology. 1. dotisk 2. vydání. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2020, 97 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-7154-4. info
    recommended literature
  • HLADKÝ, Josef and Milan RŮŽIČKA. A functional onomatology of English. 4. opr. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1998, 93 s. ISBN 8021018879. info
  • PALMER, F. R. Semantics. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981, vi, 221. ISBN 0521283760. info
  • ADAMS, Valerie. An introduction to modern English word-formation. London: Longman, 1973, viii, 230. ISBN 0582521947. info
Teaching methods
Weekly double-period sessions. Theoretical introduction provided by the teacher and autonomous study of recommended sources will be combined with students´ presentations of selected topics. The theory will be applied and tested on practically and analytically focused tasks in corresponding practice sheets. Students are expected to observe employment of lexically-focused activities in lessons observed in the teaching practice and incorporate the findings in seminar presentations.
Assessment methods
Compulsory presence (min. 80%) and participation in seminars. Students should make a presentation, fulfil all homework tasks, pass two tests (combined pass mark 70%) and hand in all written assignments. Exam - written part (tests) and oral part.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=2881
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2019/AJ4201