2. ♦ Basic Lexis
-It can be classified according to different
criteria:
•standard vs. non-standard words,
•abstract vs. concrete words,
•colloquial vs. literary(bookish),
•colloquial vs. technical terms, etc.
♥The overlap of all these categories
creates a group of neutral words which are
commonly known as standard vocabulary.
3. •Nominal Style
-abounds in nouns
-mainly static
-The long sentences prevail in this style
because many facts and data have to be
provided.
•Verbal Style
-abounds in verbs
-very dynamic
-The lexis used in this style denotes
processes (processual lexis)
4. ♦Qualifying Lexis
-They are mainly adjectives, adverbs and
numerals.
-They are mainly used to modify nouns
and verbs, and to express qualities of
persons, things and processes.
-Some adjectives, being part of a nominal
phrase, undergo interesting changes
within the process of language
development. What is known as
univerbalisation can be compared with the
word-forming process in English called
5. ♥In univerbalisation, the main idea is to
reduce a noun phrase into a single word
expression (mainly) in spoken colloquial
language which brings about a change of
stylistic characteristics (e.g. wise
=wisdom; strong = strength).
♥In the case of English conversion the
change of stylistic characteristics does not
always take place (e.g. to call = a call, to
go = ago, empty = to empty, carpet = to
carpet, etc.).
6. ♦Grammatical Lexis
-It is present in every language and its
main function is to enable the
construction of (smaller or bigger units
of) utterances which are in accordance
with the grammar of particular
languages.
7. ♦ Historically Marked
Lexis
-It always brings expressiveness to the
text.
-The following groups of words are always
stylistically marked, that is they create
expressiveness in the text.
►anachronism
►archaisms
►historicisms
►neologisms
-It is not common to use these terms in
8. Discussing archaic lexis, I. Galperin refers
to:
•Obsolescent words - gradually passing
out of use.
•Obsolete words - already gone
completely but still recognized by the
speakers.
•Archaic proper - no longer recognizable
in modern English.
♥Thee, thou, thy/thine from Old English
→ OLD 2nd person singular pronoun
→ Still used in
Biblical/Shakespearian/poetical language. Also
9. Archaism.
- It is a word or phrase which are
outdated, obsolete and out of use.
♥ enow - enough
♥ aye - yes
♥ nay - no
♥ ruth - pity; sorrow
♥ twain - two
10. Anachronism.
It is basically an error in chronology or
timeline in a piece of art or literature. A
better interpretation of the term is that
anything that seems out of the timeline or
out of place, is an anachronism.
♥ William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Brutus: Peace! count the clock.
Cassius: The clock has stricken three.
11. Historicisms.
-Words that have ceased to be used in
connection with the disappearance
they stand objects and phenomena:
bursa, caftan, burgomaster.
-Historicism found in the main text of
the past (as in science and in art).
12. Neologism.
- It is a newly coined term, word, or
phrase, that may be in the process of
entering common use, but has not yet
been accepted into mainstream
language
♥ noob – someone who is new to an
online community
♥ racne – acne located at women‟s chest
13. ♦ Professionally Marked
Lexis
-It is represented by the group of
words called professionalisms.
-Professional expressions often create
a whole complex of language means
which is known as professional slang
or jargon (informal language of people
of the same profession or professional
interests).
14. •Jargons used by
Doctors
♥ D.M. : Diabetes mellitus.
♥ O.D. : Right eye.
♥ O.S. : Left eye.
♥ VSS : Vital signs are stable.
♥ Schizophrenia: a mental disorder
marked by hallucinations
15. ♦ Expressive lexis
- In stylistics, we often discuss the lexis
which creates expressiveness in
utterances.
- Lexemes also have an emotional
function and can create emotiveness.
(Emotive Function means to show
or/and create emotions.)
“All emotive lexis is expressive, but
not all expressive lexis is emotional.”
16. 1. Euphemism
It is a generally harmless word or phrase
that replaces an offensive or suggestive
one.
♥ pass away / come to Jesus > die
♥ big boned > fat
♥ Wear apron high >Pregnant
♥ Comfort woman >Prostitute
♥ confirmed bachelor >Male homo
♥ bye-bye box >coffin, cask
♥ senior citizen, golden age >old, elderly
17. 2. Meliorative
-It is a word or phrase that makes better or
improves the meaning.
♥ illegitimate child > love child
18. 3. Pejoratives
-It is a word or grammatical form that
connotes negativity and expresses
contempt or distaste.
♥ die = go West.
♥ Chicken = a coward
♥ Fruitcake = a crazy / eccentric
person
♥ Rat = a horrible, nasty person
19. 4. Vulgarisms
-It is a colloquialism of an unpleasant
action or unrefined character, which
substitutes a coarse, indecorous word.
♥ Cunt - disliked female; "bitch".
♥ Mattress Topper – a prostitute
20. 5. Laudative
It is a word or grammatical form that
denote a positive affect.
♥ “He's a saint.”(for a helpful person)
♥ “This is ambrosia.”(for a meal)
♥ "What a house!"
21. 6. Diminutive
-It is a formation of a word used to
convey a slight degree of the root
meaning, smallness of the
object, intimacy, or endearment.
♥ -ette/-et – kitchenette; wallet
♥ -ster – youngster; gangster
♥ -ie – doggie; Charlie; cookie
22. 7. Augmentative
It is a word which expresses greater
intensity, often in size, but also in other
attributes.
♥ -over - overlord and overseer.
♥ -grand -
grandmaster and grandparent.
♥ -super -
supermarket and superpower.
23. ♦ Lexis of Foreign
Origin
-It is represented by borrowed and
loan-words. They are foreign terms
used in English language such as
those coming from French, Latin,
Greek, Chinese, etc.
-Some of these words are specific for
the language communities living in
Europe thus they are sometime called
Europeisms.
24. Examples:
♥ Boondocks(Tagalog) an out-of-the-
way place meaning „mountain‟
♥ Bravo(Breton) a cry of
encouragement.
♥ Typhoon(Mandarin) a very strong
wind
♥ Shampoo(Hindi) a hair-cleaning
detergent
♥ Crochet(French) hook
25. ♦ Phraseological lexis
-It is a powerful means of
expressiveness. The terms
collocation and idioms are most
frequently used to refer to different, the
same or multi-words expressions.
Idioms - is an expression consisting of
a combination of words that have a
figurative meaning.
26. Examples:
♥ HIT BELOW THE BELT - To act in
an unfair matter
♥ PULL UP ONE‟S SOCKS - To make
an effort to improve
♥ TURN OVER A NEW LEAF -
Changing your better for the better
♥ BREAK THE ICE - Overcome initial
shyness
♥ THROW IN THE TOWEL - To
accept defeat
27. Flowery Language
The use of flowery language
provides interesting material for
stylistic study.
♥ Too many cooks spoil the broth
>Too great a number of culinary
assistan0ts may impair the flavour of
the consomm
28. ♥Univerbalization/Univerbalism - the
tendency to make expressions shorter.
Colloquial Speech exhibits towards
brevity, or shortened expressions.
→Clippings - spectacle =specs
→Acronyms - CD = Compact Disk
♥Multiverbalism - the tendency to use
more words instead of one.
sanitary engineer =garbage man
custodial engineer =custodian
Preowned car =secondhand car
29. 6.2 Stylistic Value of
Particular Parts of Words
Particular parts of words, that is
prefixes, suffixes and infixes, can
exhibit various stylistic values.
30. ○ The prefix ex- often brings about
expressiveness
•ex-wife •ex-boss
•ex-president •her ex-
○ Infixes- It is an affix inserted inside a
word stem (an existing word).
♥ abso-bloomin-lutely
♥ Hallebloodylujah / Singabloodypore!
♥ unbeflippinglievable
♥ fanfrigginstastic
31. 6.3 Synonymy and
Polysemy
• Synonymy is a collection of synonyms
often defined from each other.
• Polysemy is a word, phrase, signs
etc. that tends to have multiple related
meanings (sememes)
♥ Wood
→a piece of a tree
→a geographical area with many
trees
32. •Tautology
-It uses different words to say the
same thing, or a series of self-
reinforcing statements that cannot be
disproved because they depend on the
assumption that they are already
correct
♥ A round circle
♥ A big giant
♥ An elephant is an animal.
33. Paronymy
-The relationship between one word
and another belonging to a different
syntactic category and production from
the first one by some process of
derivation. They are simply words with
the same roots.
♥ act / actor
♥ cook / cooker
34. Figura Etymologica /
Paronomasia
-It is the intentional grouping of words with
the same roots but different morphological
categories.
•Combination of a verb and related noun :
♥ Fight the fighter.
♥ Hammer the hammer.
•Combinations of an adjective and noun :
♥ Actors act.
♥ Wimping wimp.
35. Palindrome
-It is an expression which also makes
sense (the same or different) when
read backwards.
♥ ave = eva
♥ RADAR
♥ EVE
♥ murder / redroom (redrum)
