Examination questions + some references

1. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics, its scope, aims and significance. Relation to other
branches of linguistics.
2. Morphology as a branch of linguistics. Goals of morphological research. The role of
morphology in English as an analytic language.
3. The morphemic (morphological) structure of English words. Structural and semantic
classifications of morphemes. Structural types of words in English.
4. Specific features of morphology in English. Derivational morphology vs. inflectional
morphology in English.
5. Ways of representing the relationship between morphemes in English words. English
morphemes and meaning.
6. Productivity. Productive means of word-formation in English. Non-productive means of
word-formation in English.
7. Derivation. Affixation vs. conversion. Classifications of affixes (productive and non-
productive affixes, dead and living affixes). Different views on conversion (zero-
derivation).
8. Word-composition. Types of compounds. Criteria for their classification. Criteria for
distinguishing compounds from phrases and blends.
9. Shortening. Types of shortening.
10. The historical sources of English word formation.
11. Lexical semantics as a branch of linguistics, its aims and boundaries. Questions lexical
semanticists ask. How to research words and their meanings.
12. Words as linguistic signs. Approaches to the study of meaning: a referential approach
and a language immanent approach. Types of word meaning. Markedness. Meaning and
concepts.
13. The English word: problems of definition. Words, word-forms, lexemes, lexical items,
lexical units, lexical entries, sememes.
14. Meaning variation and language change. Semantic transfer. Metaphor. Metonymy.
Causes and types of semantic change in English.
15. The semantic structure of words in English: componential analysis and semantic
features.
16. A monosemy approach vs. a polysemy approach to the lexicon. Vagueness vs.
ambiguity.
17. Diachronic and synchronic approaches to the distinction between polysemy and
homonymy in English. Types of polysemy and types of homonymy in English.
18. The structure of English vocabulary. Paradigmatic vs. syntagmatic relations in the
English lexicon.
19. Lexical relations and semantic (sense) relations. Basic paradigmatic relations in English:
synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy / hyperonymy, meronymy / holonymy.
20. Synonymy. Types of synonyms. Differentiation of synonyms. Functions of synonymy in
a language. Sources of synonymy in English.
21. Antonymy. Types of oppositeness. Classifications of antonyms.
22. Hyponymy and meronymy in English. Lexical gaps.
23. Systemic lexical groupings: semantic classes; lexical fields; associative fields; word
families.
24. Syntagmatic relations. Collocability of words in English. Selection preferences
(restrictions). Semantic clash vs. pleonasm in English.
25. Syntagmatic relations. Compositional vs. non-compositional lexical expressions.
Endocentric and exocentric word combinations; other types of free word groups. Limits
to compositionality of word groups.
26. Phraseology as a branch of linguistics. Phraseological units: the problem of definition,
features, classifications. Sources, polysemy, synonymy and stylistic features of
phraseological units.
27. Synchronic vs. diachronic approaches to the study of the English lexicon. Development
of the English lexicon over time. Neologisms: their sources and formation. Archaisms.
28. Standard English: the definition and features.
29. “World Englishes”. Kachru's model. English as a lingua franca.
30. Variants vs. dialects vs. accents of English in the inner circle. Regional differentiation of
the English lexicon in the UK and the USA.
31. Words of native origin and their distinctive features.
32. The borrowed element in the English vocabulary: an overview. The source of borrowing
vs. the origin of borrowing. Translation loans. Semantic loans.
33. The Celtic language puzzle in English. Scandinavian loans and their distinctive features.
34. Latin and French loans: periods of borrowings and their distinctive features.
35. Greek loans and their distinctive features. German and Dutch loans. Loans from other
languages in English.
36. Assimilation of borrowings. Degrees and types of assimilation.
37. Types of borrowings. Etymological doublets, hybrids, international words, false
etymology.
38. Lexicography as a branch of linguistics. Types of dictionaries.
39. Some debatable problems in lexicography. Jackson H. and  E. Zé Amvela  – P. 33-34;
190-215.