Module 2: Linguistics
2.3 Lexicology
Lexicology is the study of words and therefore includes elements of many other aspects of linguistics that we will discuss in this module. When we study words in lexicology, we look closely at how words are formed, what makes them different from other words, uniform rules that affect usage and/or conjugation, and the different connotations and meanings of synonyms. All of these ideas will help your students move from understanding the sounds that make up the English language to understanding the words that make up the English language. Here is an overview of some of the basic principles of lexicology and its associated vocabulary:
2.3.1 Basics of lexicology
To understand lexicology, it is important to break it down into its smaller parts to look at how each works to create the overall study of lexicology. A clear understanding of lexicology and its basic principles and terminology will help you and your students find more success by easing their understanding of words and their function within a sentence.
Lexeme: A lexeme is a lexicological unit of linguistics, which, for the most part, refers to a root word. The lexeme is the part of a word (even if that is the whole word) that imparts the most meaning, with conjugation or prefixes and suffixes added to adjust the meaning. In other words, the word “snow” is a lexeme, and all iterations of that word, such as “snows,” “snowed”, or “snowing,” all share this same lexeme. By breaking down words to their roots, students can better break down new words, connect to a word’s etymology, or even find a cognate they can relate to.
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