Lexicology

This chapter explains what lexicology is, starting with an examination of the concept of ‘word’, and going on to describe processes of word formation, the distinctions made between different types of word, and the ways in which word meaning has been investigated. It discusses the roles of hyponymical taxonomies and componential analyses, and the way studies of differences in syntactical behaviour and the distribution of inflections, derivations, and collocations have provided insights into the inter-related meanings of the same and different word forms. Attention is drawn to the ways in which lexicological investigations have influenced the design of dictionaries and other types of reference material.