Ateneo - UPO

The course explores the vocabulary of contemporary English and the fundamental concepts of English lexicology, with particular emphasis on the relationship between words, meaning, and language use. The course presents the English lexicon as a dynamic and constantly evolving system, examining its historical development and the principal processes that have contributed to the expansion of English vocabulary, including borrowing, word formation, and semantic change. The first part of the course focuses on the nature of the word as a linguistic unit and on the criteria used to define and classify words. It examines the principal processes of word formation, including derivation, compounding, conversion, abbreviation, blending, clipping, acronyms, and lexical borrowing, as well as the role of morphological productivity in the development of the English lexicon. Particular emphasis is placed on the study of lexical meaning and the semantic relationships between words. The course explores phenomena such as polysemy, homonymy, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, meronymy, and the organisation of semantic fields, examining how lexical meaning is constructed and modified according to context of use. It also addresses the principal processes of semantic change and the relationships between denotative, connotative, and figurative meaning.

Jackson, Howard and Etienne Zé Amvela, 2007 (2nd), Words, Meaning, and Vocabulary, London: Bloomsbury.
Course materials prepared by the instructor.

The course aims to develop students' advanced knowledge of the vocabulary of contemporary English and the fundamental concepts of English lexicology and semantics. The course provides the theoretical and methodological tools required to understand the organisation and evolution of the English lexicon, analyse word-formation processes, and interpret the relationships between words, meaning, and language use across different communicative contexts.

English language (1st year)

The course is delivered through interactive lectures complemented by guided analysis of authentic texts, lexical and semantic phenomena, and lexicographic resources, with the aim of developing students' linguistic analytical skills and encouraging their active participation.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated support services and accommodations by contacting the Student Careers Development and Support Services Office and consulting the dedicated University webpage: Student Services for Students with Disabilities and SLD.
After contacting the University Support Services Office, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN are encouraged to contact the course instructor to discuss any necessary examination arrangements and teaching-related accommodations.

The assessment consists of an oral examination conducted in English, during which students will discuss the main topics covered in the English Linguistics A module. Throughout the examination, both students' knowledge of the course content and their oral communication skills in English will be assessed, with particular attention to discourse organisation, pronunciation accuracy, lexical and morphosyntactic appropriateness, and fluency. The final mark will reflect the extent to which the intended learning outcomes have been achieved and will be awarded according to the following scale: 18–22/30 (basic), 23–25/30 (satisfactory), 26–28/30 (good), and 29–30 with honours (excellent).

The module covers the following topics:
English lexicology: scope of the discipline and key theoretical concepts
The word as a linguistic unit: criteria for definition and classification
The historical development of the English lexicon
The expansion of English vocabulary: borrowing and other sources of lexical growth
Major word-formation processes: derivation, compounding, conversion, abbreviation, blending, clipping, acronyms, and lexical borrowing
Morphological productivity and lexical innovation
Lexical meaning: denotative, connotative, and figurative meaning
Semantic relationships between words: polysemy, homonymy, synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy, and meronymy
The organisation of the lexicon and semantic fields
Semantic change and the evolution of word meaning
Collocations, idiomatic expressions, and phraseological units
Lexical variation in relation to register, communicative context, and varieties of English
Introduction to lexicography: dictionary structure and the description of lexical items
Analysis of examples and case studies drawn from contemporary English

By the end of the English Linguistics A module, students will be able to analyse the structure and organisation of the contemporary English lexicon. In particular, they will be able to identify the principal word-formation processes, describe the main semantic relationships between lexical items, interpret word meaning in context, and use the fundamental terminology of English lexicology and semantics.