THE Etymological survey of the English Lexicon

 

Key words: etymology, folk etymology, etymological doublets/triplets, native word, borrowing/borrowed word/loan word (semantic borrowing, borrowing proper, oral, written/literary borrowing), loan translation, origin, source, assimilation (complete, partial) of borrowing, hybrid, barbarism, neologism, international words, translator’s false friends.

Look up these terms in the glossary or in the sources indicated in the bibliography to the glossary. Compare the definitions given in English and in Russian.

 

 

Problems for Discussion

 

1. Words of native origin (Indo-European, Germanic words). Their semantic and structural properties. Their derivational potential.

2. Borrowings in English. Causes of borrowing words from other languages. Types of borrowings.

3. The origin versus the source of borrowings. Etymological doublets/triplets. Folk etymology.

4. The ways and degrees of assimilation of loan words in English.

5. International words. Translator’s false friends.

 

 

Questions and Tasks

 

1. Look up the origin of the words listed below in “The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English” (COD). – Oxford Univ. Press, 1982. Comment on the etymological characteristics of the words: atmosphere, company, door, fashion, horse, hundred, husband, kilt, parliament, pneumonia, physician, summer, street, salmon.

2. Rearrange the loan words listed below into eight groups according to their source language: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch/Flemish, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish. Use the etymological information given in COD: barricade, boom, cannibal, caravan, cruise, delicatessen, frankfurter, guitar, giraffe, geisha, glasnost, hamburger, harem, icon, judo, ketchup, mosque, motto, noodle, perestroika, prima donna, quartz, sauerkraut, sketch, studio, tea, tornado, tsunami, violin, yacht.

3. Say which of the borrowings given above are partially/completely assimilated in English and which are considered barbarisms.

4. Define the type of borrowings on the basis of the etymological information given in COD: borrowings proper, semantic borrowings, loan translations, international words, neologisms. Analyse their meanings. Give their Russian equivalents: babushka ‘a woman’s head scarf, folded triangularly and tied under the chin’, bureau ‘a subdivision of an executive department’, cargo, history, homesickness (G Heimweh), hyper ‘excited or nervous about something’, karaoke, mafia, manager, superman (G Übermensch), tragedy.

5. Compare the correlated words in English and in Russian. Explain why they are called ‘translator’s false friends’. Give the Russian equivalents of the English loan words, and the English equivalents of the Russian words:

a. Active – given to action; working, effective, practical, diligent; radioactive.

Актив – группа наиболее деятельных лиц в каком-то коллективе; чьи-то успехи, достижения, преимущества.

b. Actual – existing in fact; real, present, current.

Актуальный – важный, существенный для настоящего момента; злободневный, насущный, современный.

c. Accurate – careful, precise; in exact conformity with a standard or with truth.

Аккуратный – склонный к чистоте и порядку; исполнительный, пунктуальный.

d. Angina – pain in chest resulting from over-exertion when heart is diseased.

Ангина – острое инфекционное заболевание, проявляющееся в воспалении нёбных миндалин и слизистой оболочки зева.

e. Inválid – not valid, esp. having no legal force.

Инвалид – человек, утративший трудоспособность вследствие ранения, увечья, болезни или старости.

f. Receipt – fact or action of receiving or being received into person’s hands or possession; amount of money, etc. received.

Рецепт – письменное предписание врача в аптеку о составе лекарства с указанием способа его применения.

g. Solid – of stable shape, not liquid or fluid, having some rigidity, (solid food); of solid substance throughout, not hollow, without internal cavities.

Солидный – прочный, надежный, основательный; заслуживающий доверия, с установившейся репутацией, авторитетом.

 

 

Recommended Reading

Obligatory

Арбекова, Т.И. Лексикология английского языка: Практический курс / Т.И. Арбекова. – М.: Высш. шк., 1977. – C. 143–154.

Арнольд, И.В. Лексикология современного английского языка / И.В. Арнольд; на англ. яз. – 3-е изд. – М.: Высш. шк., 1986. – C. 252–261.

Лексикология английского языка / Р.З. Гинзбург [и др.]; на англ. яз. – 2-е изд., испр. и доп. – М.: Высш. шк., 1979. – C. 160 – 175.

Лещёва, Л.М. Слова в английском языке: Курс лексикологии английского языка / Л.М. Лещёва; на англ. яз. – Минск: Академия управления при Президенте Республики Беларусь, 2001. – С. 24, 26–35.

Hockett, C. A Сourse in Modern Linguistics / C. Hockett // Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 172 – 182.

Jespersen, O. Growth and Structure of the English Language / O. Jespersen // Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 191–192.

Sheard, J.A. The Words We Use / J.A. Sheard // Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 183–190.

 

Optional

Харитончик, З.А. Лексикология английского языка / З.А. Харитончик. – Минск: Вышэйш. шк., 1992. – С. 17–19.

 

 

Topic 3

Semantics (Semasiology)