1. terminology – technical terms
photoscanning, hepatitis, indigestion, penicillin, algebra, trigonometry, calculus
2. jargon – specialized vocabulary in certain professions.
Bottom line, ballpark figures, bargaining chips, hold him back, hold him in, paranoid
3. slang —— substandard words often used in informal occasions
dough and bread, grass and pot, beaver, smoky, bear, catch, holler, Roger, X-rays,
Certain words are labeled slang because of their usage.
4. argot – words used by sub-cultured groups
can-opener, dip, persuader
cant, jargon , argot are associated with, or most available to, specific groups of the population.
5. dialectal words – only by speakers of the dialect
beauty, chook, cocky, station, auld, build, coo, hame, lough, bog
6. archaisms – words no longer in common use or restricted in use. In older poems, legal document and religious writing or speech.
7. neologism – newly created words with new meaning e.g. microelectronics, futurology, AIDS, internet, E-mail
old meaning acquired new meaning e.g. mouse, monitor
2). Content word (notional word) – denote clear notions.
Functional word (empty word, form word) – do not have notions of their own, express the relation between notions, words and sentences.
a. Content words constitute the main body of the English vocabulary are numerous.
Functional words are in a small number.
b. Content words are growing.
Functional words remain stable.
c. Functional words do far more work of expression than content words.
3). Native words – are words brought to Britain in the 15 century by the German tribes. Ango-Saxon Words, 50,000-60,000
What is true of the basic word stock is also true of native world. More are
1. neutral in style (not stylistical specific )
2. 2.frequent in use (in academic fields and science French, Latin or Greek are used) (usage 70-90%)
Borrowed words (loan words, borrowing) – words taken over from foreign language. 80%
According to the degree of assimilation and manner of borrowing, we can bring the loan words under 4 classes.
1.Denizens – words borrowed early and now are well assimilated into English language.
e.g. port from portus(L) shift, change, shirt, pork
cup from cuppa(L)
2.Aliens – retained their original pronunciation and spelling
e.g. décor(F) blitzkreeg(G) emir, intermez, rowtow, bazaar, rajar, status quo
3.translation loans – formed from the existing material in the English language but modeled on the patterns taken from another language.
1). Word translated according to the meaning
e.g. mother tough from lingua maternal(L)
black humor from humor noir
long time no see, surplus value, master piece
2)