Lexicology
From which two Greek words is the term “Lexicology” derived?
From “lexis” meaning “word” and “logos” meaning “learning.”
What is the main difference between Lexicology and Grammar?
Lexicology studies the meaning of words and names objects, while Grammar studies grammatical problems.
What does Semasiology study?
It studies the meanings of words and their semantic changes.
What does the external structure of a word refer to?
It refers to the form of the word — how it’s built and looks from the outside (prefixes, roots, suffixes, syllables, etc.).
Who is the author of the story “What You Want”?
O. Henry
What does Lexicology study in general?
It studies the vocabulary of a language and the properties of words as its main units.
What happens when we change the stress in a word, according to Phonetics?
It can change the meaning or even the part of speech (e.g., ‘rEcord’ vs. ‘recórd’).
Which branch of Lexicology studies how new words are formed?
Word Formation.
What does the internal structure of a word refer to?
It refers to the meaning or semantic content that the word expresses.
In “What You Want”, what does the main character most desire?
To get what he wants — success, happiness, or personal fulfillment (depends on interpretation).
What are the two main types of Lexicology?
General Lexicology and Special Lexicology.
How is Lexicology connected with Stylistics?
One of the problems of Lexicology is stylistic characteristics; Stylistics studies different styles reflected in the text.
What is Etymology concerned with?
The origin and history of words and how they developed in English.
What is a morpheme?
It is the smallest meaningful unit of form in a language.
What is one common theme in O. Henry’s short stories, including “What You Want”?
Irony or an unexpected twist ending.
What does special descriptive (synchronic) Lexicology study?
It studies the vocabulary of a language at a certain time.
Give an example showing how stress change affects meaning.
Examples: blackbird ≠ black bird; blackboard ≠ black board.
Give two main types of Phraseological units with examples.
Idioms (e.g., “kick the bucket”) and Collocations (e.g., “make a decision”).
What is the difference between root morphemes and affixational morphemes?
Root morphemes carry the main lexical meaning; affixational morphemes (prefixes/suffixes) modify or add meaning.
O. Henry’s writing often shows everyday life with humor and surprise. Which literary device does he famously use to end his stories?
A twist ending / surprise ending.
What is the subject matter of Lexicology?
Separate words, their morphological and semantic structure, and the vocabulary of the language, including its origin, development, and current use.
How is Lexicology connected with Sociolinguistics (Cultural Studies)?
Language reflects culture and mentality; specific word combinations and associations exist in every language.
What does Lexicography study and what are its main tasks?
It studies dictionary compiling; tasks include describing word meanings, spelling, pronunciation, grammar, and giving examples.
What’s the difference between inflectional and derivational affixes?
Inflectional affixes add grammatical meaning (like tense or number) without changing part of speech; derivational affixes create new words or change part of speech.
What moral or message can readers learn from “What You Want”?
Sometimes what people think they want isn’t what truly makes them happy; real satisfaction comes from understanding oneself or appreciating what one already has.