Unit II

Word Knowledge

2.1 Meaning of Word

Previously, we have virtually discussed about the nature of vocabulary and why it is
significant for foreign language learners, in which we have agreed that vocabulary means
collection of words gained (importantly required) by learner to communicate or express their
ideas. Therefore, as foreign language learner, to be capable at socialize or simply
communicate with others, learners need to master sufficient number of English vocabulary. In
a process of conquering language, learners are required to be knowledgeable about “words
meaning”, which simply means learners are able to utter a word, create its written form,
relate it to realistic thing, and know other form of word similar to it at the same time.

Take a look at the word “house” and follow below instruction:

 Draw a house, a big house, a big white house.

 Do you have a house?
 Where is your house?

Has it come across you mind of how you could draw a house and answer the questions? Yes,
it simply because you understand the word “house”, understanding means not only knowing
the meaning but also being able to elaborate among its concept, association, reference and
formation. Now we have some major questions of what Concept of Word, Word association,
reference, and word formation that we are about to discuss here and now.

2.1.1 Knowing Concept of Word

It is probably hard for you to understand the literal theory of word’s concept by
reading a book. It is wise to recall your childhood memory to know how you gained
language, how you started your first reading book, and write it down on a summary or
simply try to recall how you spell and write down your name. Concept of word refers
to your awareness to differ spoken words to written words while reading. Students
with a concept of word understand that each word is separate, and that words are
separated by a space within each sentence.
2.1.2 Knowing Word Association
Similar to word’s concept, word’s association is also closely related to our awareness
that every word has its relatives or family. It is likely related to how Google search
works in gathering information based on the key word, that is also how our brain
works when we hear certain word. However, word association doesn’t not inherited to
human brain, but it gains and sustained time by time through human language
experience.

Pict. 1. Word Star and its associations

2.1.3 Knowing Reference

While producing the text, speaker refers to different entities: persons, objects, events
etc. The process of mentioning referents in the discourse is called reference. In other
words, reference is the symbolic relationship that a linguistic expression has with the
concrete object or abstraction it represents. When you hear word “House”, your brain
works to figure out a concrete object of building or a shelter.

2.2 Understanding Word Usage

Usage here means structures or grammar. It is how we produce a correct sentence with
acceptable structure or grammar. Part of speech that we have discussed on previous meeting
is small particles of sentences, thus just knowing the word part will not be enough to help us
to be able to create grammatically acceptable sentence. A basic standard structure of
sentence, such as Subject + Predicate + Object, has to be mastered by learners, so that the
words they arrange could be understood and moreover the intention of the sentence could be
delivered properly to others.