Chapter 1 InWoducfion
1.1 Definition of lexicology
1.2 Definition of a word
1.3 Classification of English words
1.4 Aims and significance of the English lexicology course
Chapter 2 Sources of English vocabulary
2.1 Native words in modem English
2.2 Borrowed words in modem English
2.2.1 Words from Latin
2.2.2 Words from Greek
2.2.3 Words from French
2.2.4 Words from Scandinavian
2.2.5 Words from Italian
2.2.6 Words from German
2.2.7 Words from Arabic
2.2.8 Words from Chinese
2.3 Neologisms in modern English
2.3.1 Sources of neologisms
2.3.2 Formations of neologisms
Chapter 3 Morphological structures of English words
3.1 Morpheme
3.2 Classification of morphemes
3.2.1 Free morphemes and bound morphemes
3.2.2 Roots and affixes
3.2.3 Roots and stems
3.2.4 Morphs.morphemes,allomorphs
Appendix:some common roots
Chapter 4 Word-formation
4.1 Derivation
Appendix:some common prefixes
Appendix:some common suffixes
4.2 Compounding
4.2.1 Noun compounds
4.2.2 Adjective compounds
4.2.3 Verb compounds
4.2.4 Pronoun compounds
4.2.5 Adverb compounds
4.2.6 Preposition compounds
4.2.7 Conjunction compounds
4.3 Conversion
4.3.1 Conversion from noun to verb
4.3.2 Conversion from verb to noun
4.3.3 Conversion from adjective to noun
4.4 Blending
Appendix:some common blends
4.5 Clipping
Appendix:some common clippings
4.6 Acronymy
Appendix:some common acronyms and initialisms
4.7 Back—formation
4.8 By analogy
Chapter 5 Motivation
5.1 Phonetic motivation
5.1.1 Primary onomatopoeia
5.1.2 Secondary onomatopoeia
5.2 Semantic motivation
5.3 Morphological motivation
5.4 Motivation and cultural background
Chapter 6 Types of word meaning
6.1 Grammatical meaning and lexical meaning
6.2 Conceptual meaning and connotative meaning
6.3 Social meaning
6.4 Mfective meaning
6.5 Collocative meaning
6.6 Thematic meaning
6.7 Local meaning
Chapter 7 Semantic relationship between words
7.1 Polysemy
7.2 Homonymy
7.2.1 Perfect homonyms
7.2.2 Homophones
7.2.3 Homographs
7.2.4 Creation of homonyms
Appendix:some common homonyms
7.3 Synonymy
7.3.1 Differences between synonyms
7.3.2 Sources of synonyms
7.3.3 Synonymous patterns
Appendix:some common euphemisms
7.4 Antonymy
7.4.1 Classification of antonyms
7.4.2 Different antonyms in different contexts
7.4.3 The use of antonyms
7.5 Hyponymy
7.6 Semantic field
Chapter 8 Changes in word meaning
8.1 Causes of changes in word meaning
8.2 Tendencies that lead to the changes in word meaning
8.2.1 Generalization
8.2.2 Specialization
8.2.3 Elevation
8.2.4 Degradation
8.2.5 Change of meaning resulting from figurative use of eords
8.2.6 The use of the abstract for the concrete or vice versa
8.2.7 Common words from proper names
Chapter 9 Meaning and context
9.1 Types of context
9.I.1 Linguistic context
9.1.2 Extra—linguistic context
9.2 Context and ambiguity
9.3 Ambiguity and fuzziness
Chapter 10 English idioms
10.1 Definition of idioms
10.2 Characteristics of English idioms
10.2.1 Semantic unity
10.2.2 Structural stability
10.3 Sources of English idioms
10.4 Classification of English idioms
10.4.1 Idioms nominal in nature
10.4.2 Idioms adjectival in nature
10.4.3 Idioms verbal in nature
10.4.4 Idioms adverbial in nature
10.4.5 Sentence idioms
10.5 Stylistic features of idioms
Appendix:some common Dmverbs
Chapter 11 American English
11.1 Brief history of American English
11.2 Characteristics of American English
11.2.1 Creativjty
11.2.2 Archaism
11.2.3 Heterogeneity
11.2.4 Uniformity
11.2.5 Popularity of slang
11.3 Differences between British and American English
11.3.1 Differences in pronunciation
11.3.2 Differences in spelling
11.3.3 Differences in vocabulary
11.3.4 Differences in grammar
Key to exercises
Glossary of some linguistic terms
Reference books