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Key words:
interconnected
colloquial
aspect
stock
barbarisms
jargonisms
vulgar
conversion
confine
accumulation
f) General Considerations
In order to get a more or less clear idea of the word stock of any language, it must
be presented as a system, the elements of which are interconnected,
interrelated and yet
independent. A special branch of linguistic science – lexicology has done much to classify
vocabulary.
In accordance with the division of language into literary and colloquial, we may
represent the whole of the word stock of the English language as being divided into three
main layers:
the literary layer
the neutral layer
the colloquial layer
The literary and colloquial layers contain a number of subgroups each of which has
a property it shares with all the subgroups within the layer. This common property, which
unites different groups of
words within the layer, may be called its aspect. The aspect of
literary layer in its markedly bookish character. It is this that makes the layer more or less
stable. The aspect of the colloquial layer is its lively spoken character. It is this that makes
it unstable. The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. That means it is
unrestricted in use. It can be employed in all kinds of style
and in all spheres of human
activity. It is this that makes the layer the most stable of all.
The literary layer of words consists of groups which have no local or dialectal
character.
The colloquial layer of words is not infrequently limited to a definite language
community or confined to a special locality where it circulates.
The literary vocabulary consists of the following groups of words:
2.
common literary
3. terms and learned words
4. poetic words
5.
archaic words
6. barbarisms and foreign words
7. literary coinages including nonce-words
The colloquial vocabulary falls into the following groups:
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1. common colloquial words
2. slang
3. jargonisms
4.
professional words
5. dialectal words
6. vulgar words
The common literary, neutral and common colloquial words are grouped under the
term standard English vocabulary.
Other groups in the literary layer are regarded as special literary vocabulary and
those in the colloquial layer are regarded as special colloquial layer are regarded as special
colloquial (non-literary) vocabulary.
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