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A '''lexicon''' is usually a list of words together with additional word-specific information, i.e., a [[dictionary]]. ''Lexicon'' is a word of [[Greek language|Greek]] origin (''λεξικόν'') meaning [[vocabulary]]. When linguists study the lexicon, they study such things as what words are, how the vocabulary in a language is structured, how people use and store words, how they learn words, the history and evolution of words, types of relationships between words as well as how words were created.
  
   
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In [[linguistics]], the '''lexicon''' (or '''[[wikt:wordstock|wordstock]]''') of a language is its [[vocabulary]], including its words and expressions. A lexicon is also a synonym of the word [[thesaurus]]. More formally, it is a language's inventory of [[lexeme]]s. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the [[Greek language|Greek]] "λεξικόν" (''lexicon''), neut. of "λεξικός" (''lexikos''), "of or for words",<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dlecikos λεξικός],
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The term is also sometimes used in the title of an [[encyclopedic dictionary]] or an [[encyclopedia]], especially for [[19th century]] works and those written in German (''lexikon'').
  
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Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus Digital Library</ref> from "λέξις" (''lexis''), "speech", "word",<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dle%2Fcis λέξις], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus Digital Library</ref> and that from "λέγω" (''lego''), "to say", "to speak".<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0058%3Aentry%3Dle%2Fgw3 λέγω],
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Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus Digital Library</ref>
   
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In [[linguistics]], '''''lexicon''''' has a slightly more specialized definition, as it includes the [[lexeme]]s used to actualize words. Lexemes are formed according to [[Morpheme|morpho-syntactic]] rules and express [[sememe]]s. In this sense, a lexicon organizes the [[mental]] vocabulary in a speaker's mind: First, it organizes the vocabulary of a language according to certain principles (for instance, all verbs of motion may be linked in a lexical network) and second, it contains a generative device producing (new) simple and complex words according to certain lexical rules. For example, the [[Suffix (linguistics)|suffix]] '-able' can be added to [[transitive verb]]s only such that we get 'read-able' but not '*cry-able'. (Though exceptions exist to this rule: one can certainly imagine a 'sleepable mattress' or the expression, 'Sure, that's workable.')
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The lexicon includes the lexemes used to actualize words. Lexemes are formed according to [[Morpheme|morpho-syntactic]] rules and express [[sememe]]s. In this sense, a lexicon organizes the [[mind|mental]] vocabulary in a speaker's mind: First, it organizes the vocabulary of a language according to certain principles (for instance, all verbs of motion may be linked in a lexical network) and second, it contains a generative device producing (new) simple and complex words according to certain lexical rules. For example, the [[Suffix (linguistics)|suffix]] '-able' can be added to [[transitive verb]]s only, so that we get 'read-able' but not 'cry-able'.
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Usually a lexicon is a container for words belonging to the same language. Some exceptions may be encountered for languages that are variants, like for instance [[Brazilian Portuguese]] compared to [[European Portuguese]], where a lot of words are common and where the differences may be marked word by word.
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When linguists study the lexicon, they study such things as what words are, how the vocabulary in a language is structured, how people use and store words, how they learn words, the history and evolution of words (i.e. [[etymology]]), types of relationships between words as well as how words were created.
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An individual's mental lexicon, lexical knowledge, or lexical concept is that person's knowledge of [[vocabulary]]. The role the mental lexicon plays in speech perception and production, as well as questions of how words from the lexicon are accessed, is a major topic in the fields of [[psycholinguistics]] and [[neurolinguistics]], where models such as the [[cohort model]] have been proposed to explain how words in the lexicon are retrieved.
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==See also==
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* [[Function word]]
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* [[Glossary]]
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* [[Idiolect]]
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* [[Lexical access]]
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* [[Lexical decision]]
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* [[Lexical markup framework]]
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* [[Lexicography]]
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* [[Lexicology]]
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* [[Morphology (linguistics)]]
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* [[Word meaning]]
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* [[Word recognition]]
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==Further reading==
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* [[Jean Aitchison|Aitchison, Jean]]. ''Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon.'' Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003.
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* {{cite book |last= [[Ghil'ad Zuckermann|Zuckermann]] |first= Ghil'ad |title= Language Contact and Lexical Enrichment in Israeli Hebrew |url= http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?is=140391723X |publisher= Palgrave Macmillan |year= 2003 |isbn= 140391723X }}
   
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Furthermore an individual's ''lexical knowledge'' (or '''lexical concept''') is that person's knowledge of [[vocabulary]].
  
   
 
==See also==
  
==See also==
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* [[Morphology (linguistics)]]
  
* [[Morphology (linguistics)]]
   
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==Further reading==
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==References==
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{{wiktionary|lexicon}}
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*[[Jean Aitchison|Aitchison, Jean]]. ''Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon.'' Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2003.
  
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{{reflist}}
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{{Lexicography}}
   
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<!-- careful with interwiki: lexicon in many languages means "dictionary"; also, many of the links formerly here were to dab pages in other languages -->
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==External Links==
  
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*[http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3131,00.html Ynet News Jewish Israeli Lexicon], Defines various terms and people relating to the Jewish Israeli culture.
  
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*[http://www2.let.uu.nl/Uil-OTS/Lexicon/ Lexicon of Linguistics]
  
   
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[[Category:Greek loanwords]]
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[[Category:Vocabulary]]
 
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[[Category:Linguistics]]
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[[category:Vocabulary]]
   
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[[it:Lessico]]
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[[mhr:Мутвундо]]
 
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{{enWP|Lexicon}}

Latest revision as of 06:55, 19 December 2011

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In linguistics, the lexicon (or wordstock) of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions. A lexicon is also a synonym of the word thesaurus. More formally, it is a language's inventory of lexemes. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the Greek "λεξικόν" (lexicon), neut. of "λεξικός" (lexikos), "of or for words",[1] from "λέξις" (lexis), "speech", "word",[2] and that from "λέγω" (lego), "to say", "to speak".[3]

The lexicon includes the lexemes used to actualize words. Lexemes are formed according to morpho-syntactic rules and express sememes. In this sense, a lexicon organizes the mental vocabulary in a speaker's mind: First, it organizes the vocabulary of a language according to certain principles (for instance, all verbs of motion may be linked in a lexical network) and second, it contains a generative device producing (new) simple and complex words according to certain lexical rules. For example, the suffix '-able' can be added to transitive verbs only, so that we get 'read-able' but not 'cry-able'.

Usually a lexicon is a container for words belonging to the same language. Some exceptions may be encountered for languages that are variants, like for instance Brazilian Portuguese compared to European Portuguese, where a lot of words are common and where the differences may be marked word by word.

When linguists study the lexicon, they study such things as what words are, how the vocabulary in a language is structured, how people use and store words, how they learn words, the history and evolution of words (i.e. etymology), types of relationships between words as well as how words were created.

An individual's mental lexicon, lexical knowledge, or lexical concept is that person's knowledge of vocabulary. The role the mental lexicon plays in speech perception and production, as well as questions of how words from the lexicon are accessed, is a major topic in the fields of psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, where models such as the cohort model have been proposed to explain how words in the lexicon are retrieved.

See also

Further reading


See also

References

Look up this page on
Wiktionary: lexicon

  1. ↑ λεξικός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
  2. ↑ λέξις, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
  3. ↑ λέγω, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library

Template:Lexicography

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