Links of Lexicology with other branches of Linguistics

The main object of lexicology is the word. But the word is not the object only and exclusively of lexicology. It is also studied by many other branches of linguistics, such as phonetics, grammar (including Morphology and Syntax), Stylistics, Sociolinguistics, Dialectology, Phraseology, Derivatology and Etymology.

Phonetics investigates, in particular, the outer sound form of the word, its phonetic structure. These data are important for Lexicology to delimitate words in utterances.

Morphology studies the morphological composition of words and such information is significant for Lexicology to differentiate simple words from derived and compound ones and ascertain word-formation elements of the latter and distinguish world-building affixes from inflectional morphemes.

Syntax explores the relations of words in word-combinations and sentences. Syntactic information is necessary for distinguishing compound words from free or set combinations of words and reveal syntactic relations between constituent parts of compounds or composites.

Stylistics is concerned with the study of the nature, function and structure of stylistic devices and language styles; therefore, it provides Lexicology with certain data about the stylistic content of words, their emotional and evaluative charge and helps classify vocabulary into different stylistic layers.

Sociolinguistics explores the relationship between society and language, their interinfluence; therefore, it supplies information for ethnic, national, demographic, cultural, social and professional classification of vocabulary and its usage by language-speakers of different classes and groups of society.

Dialectology reveals the differentiation of vocabulary into regional, territorial and local forms as well as national varieties.

Phraseology is now an autonomous branch of linguistics that helps reveal the meaning and function of a separate word in set expressions and idioms.

Derivatology is a modern young science that studies the process of derivation of any linguistic unit from other linguistic units; therefore, it helps reveal the formation of words, their structural and semantic changes, the process of borrowing from other languages.

Etymology and History of Language helps restore the prototype form and meaning of the word and trace the morphological and semantic changes which this word has undergone from the hypothetical root up to the present form.

So, as a conclusion, we may say that Lexicology is an integral part of the Science of Language, along with the above mentioned ones.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-06