Lexis Flashcards
(34 cards)
What is a ‘Lexical Choice’.
A choice of word.
Informal/Formal.
The way in which one writes or speaks. Informal uses more colloquialisms, for example.
Simple/basic language.
Simple language, basic lexemes.
Sophisticated/complex language.
Using words that aren’t basic.
Archaic Lexis.
Language from history - Nordic, Old English.
Monosyllabic.
One syllable - eat, drink, die.
Polysyllabic.
More than one syllable - rhetoric, tiger, Sterek.
Technical jargon.
Words associated with a certain subject - tech speak.
Common lexis.
Words used everyday - greetings.
Lexical (semantic) fields.
Words that fit into the field of a certain subject or topic - equestrianism, surfer, gaming.
Collocation.
Word association.
Dialect
The specific language used in a specific area - Forest Dialect, Herefordian Dialect.
Idiolect.
The specific way someone speaks.
Sociolect.
The dialect of a particular class.
Neologism.
New words or phrases coined into the English language - twerk, Muggle, selfie.
Denotation
The literal meaning of a word.
Connotation
Word association.
Polysemy.
Having more than one meaning.
Euphemism.
An indirect method of speaking - often used for insults or crude suggestions.
Dysphemism.
Used to enhance what they really mean/to sound negative.
Idioms.
A group of words that has a meaning, but not deducible (Raining cats and dogs).
Amelioration.
When words acquire positive connotations over time.
Pejoration.
Where words acquire negative connotations over time.
Etymology.
The journey of a word - where it comes from, and how it evolves over time - e.g ‘Dolphin’. In Greek - ‘fish with a womb’.
