Lexicon - what is it? Since this word is obsolete and has a foreign origin, its interpretation is often difficult. Moreover, it is most often used not in colloquial speech, but in written sources. This article will provide information that this is a vocabulary.
First value
It seems that for an accurate understanding of the meaning of the word “lexicon” it is advisable to turn to the help of the dictionary. There are two interpretations.
According to the first of them, the lexicon is an obsolete word meaning “dictionary”. That is, a book that contains a collection of different words or phrases, morphemes, idioms and the like. These tokens are arranged according to a specific principle. At the same time, information is given on their meaning, origin, use, translation into other languages. Such data are in linguistic dictionaries. Dictionaries of other types may contain information about objects and concepts, which are indicated by the words given in them, about the figures of science, culture, writers, and other famous personalities. Previously, dictionaries of foreign words were most often called that, for example, the German-Russian lexicon.
What is the second meaning?
According to the second version of the interpretation of the studied word, given in the dictionaries, the lexicon is a collection of words and expressions that are used by some person. Or those that are characteristic of a certain field of activity. For example, we can say that a person has a very rude vocabulary.
Two types of vocabulary are distinguished: active and passive. The active vocabulary contains those words that a person uses when he writes or speaks. And in the passive are included such words that are recognized by the person when he reads or listens to someone, but in the sound of speech and writing, he does not use them. As a rule, a passive vocabulary is much larger than an active vocabulary.
Next, consider the synonyms and origin of the word.
Synonyms
Among the synonyms for the word "lexicon" are observed such as:
- vocabulary;
- glossary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- vocabulary;
- pantry of words;
- lexical stock.
Now let's move on to the origin of the word “lexicon”.
Etymology
According to the data set forth in the Max Fasmer dictionary, the origin of the term in question is as follows. It originates in the ancient Greek language, where there is a noun λεξικόν, which literally means “a dictionary book”. It was formed from another noun λέξις, meaning “word”.
The Russian “lexicon” is found for the first time in the books of Pamva Berynda, a prominent lexicographer, poet, translator of the 17th century, one of the first Russian typographers. It is borrowed through the German Lexikon, which in a bookish way passed into this language from Latin, formed from the Latin noun lexicon.