General principles of stylistic classification of the English vocabulary

The word stock of the English language is divided into 3 main layers: the literary, the neutral, and the colloquial.

The literary and the colloquial contain a number of subgroups within the layer. This common property with units the different groups of words within the layer may be called its aspect. The aspect of the literary layer is its markedly bookish character. This makes the layer more or less stable. The aspect of the colloquial layer is its lively spoken character. This makes its unstable, fleeting. The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. That means it is unrestricted in its use. It can be used in all styles of language and in all spheres of human activity. This makes the layer the most stable of all.

The colloquial layer of words is frequently limited to a defined language community or can find special locality where it circulates.

The literary layer of words consist of groups excepted as legitimate members of the English vocabulary. They have no local or dialect character. The literary vocabulary consist of the following groups of words:

1. common literary words

2. terms and learned words

3. poetic words

4. archaic words

5. barbarisms and foreign words

6. lit. coinages including nonce-words

The colloquial includes the following groups of words:

1. common colloquial words

2. slang,

3. jargonizes

4. professional words

5. dialectal words

6. vulgar words

7. colloquial coinages (неологизмы)

The common literary, neutral and common colloquial words are called standard English vocabulary.

Other groups in the literary layer are regarded as special literary vocabulary and in the colloquial are regarded as special colloquial vocabulary.

Neutral words which form the bulk of the English vocabulary are used in both literary and colloquial language. Neutral words are the main source of synonymy and polysemy.

Colloquial/Neutral/Literary

Kid/child/infant

Daddy/father/parent

Go on/continue/proceed

Teenager/boy, Girl/youth (maiden)

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 2142