Лексикология. SEMINAR 2

SEMINAR 2. Etymology of English words. Items for discussion:

1. The notion of etymology.

2. Words of Indo-European origin.

3. Words of Common Germanic stock.

4. The characteristic features of native words.

5. Loan words. The role of loan words in the vocabulary.

6. Classification of loan words according to the degree of assimilation.

7. Classification of loan words according to the source of borrowing:

a) Celtic borrowings;

b) Latin borrowings;

c) Scandinavian borrowings;

d) French borrowings;

e) Borrowings from Russian and other living languages.

8. Etymological doublets.

9. International words. The List of Recommended Literature:

1. Antrushina G.B. English Lexicology. – M.: Drofa, 2004. (Ch. 3,4)

2. Arnold I.V. The English Word. – M., 1966. (Ch. XV)

3. Ginsburg R.S. A Course in Modern English Lexicology. – M.: Vyssaya Skola, 1979. (Ch. VI)

4. Readings in Modern English Lexicology. – L. – pp. 172-192.

5. Saitseva S.D. Early Britain. – M., 1981.

TASKS FOR SEMINAR 2

1. Be ready to speak on the suggested items for discussion (3-5 minutes).

2. Learn the working definitions of principal concepts:

Assimilation – a partial or total conformation to the phonetical, graphical and morphological standards of the receiving language and its semantic system.

Cognates – words having the same source of origin.

Etymological doublets – two or more words more or less similar in meaning and sound form, appearing in language as the result of borrowing from the same source at different times.

International words – words that came into different languages as a result of simultaneous or successive borrowing from one and the same source.

Loan-words – words taken from other languages and modified in phonemic shape, spelling, paradigm or meaning according to the standard of the English language.

Semantic loan – the acquisition of a new meaning due to the influence of a related word in another language.

Translation loan – borrowing by means of literally translating words (usually one part after another) or word combinations by modelling words after foreign patterns.

3. Make sure that you can answer the following questions:

1. What is the earliest group of English borrowings?

2. What Celtic borrowings are there in English?

3. What words were introduced into English vocabulary during the period of Christianization?

4. What are the characteristic features of Scandinavian borrowings?

5. When and under what circumstances did England become a bilingual country?

6. What are the characteristic features of words borrowed into English during the Renaissance?

7. What suffixes and prefixes can help you to recognize words of Latin and French origin?

8. What is meant by the native element of the English vocabulary?

9. Why are words borrowed?

10. What do we understand by loan words?

11. Into what groups are loan words classified according to the degree of assimilation?

12. What are the characteristic features of etymological doublets?

13. In what spheres of communication do international words frequently occur?