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 Since this word is obsolete and has a foreign origin, its interpretation is often difficult.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 lexicon.
First value
It seems that in order to accurately understand the meaning of the word "lexicon" it is advisable to turn to the help of a dictionary. Two interpretations are given there.
According to the first one, lexicon is an obsolete word for "dictionary". That is, a book that contains a collection of various words or phrases, morphemes, idioms, and the like. These lexemes are arranged in accordance with a certain principle. At the same time, information is given about their meaning, origin, use, translation into other languages. Such data are found in linguistic dictionaries. Dictionaries of other types may contain information about objects and concepts that are denoted by the words given in them, about scientists, cultural figures, writers, and other famouspersonalities. Previously, dictionaries of foreign words were most often called this way, for example, the German-Russian lexicon.
What is the second meaning?
According to the second interpretation of the studied word, given in dictionaries, the lexicon is a set of words and expressions that are used by some person. Or those that are typical for a certain field of activity. For example, you can say that a person has a very rough vocabulary.
There are two types of vocabulary: active and passive. The active vocabulary contains the words that a person uses when writing or speaking. And the passive includes such words that a person recognizes when he reads or listens to someone, but he does not use them in speech and writing. As a rule, the passive vocabulary is much larger than the active one.
Next, consider the synonyms and the origin of the word.
Synonyms
Among the synonyms for the word "lexicon" there are such as:
- vocabulary;
- glossary;
- dictionary;
- vocabulary;
- dictionary;
- vocabulary;
- interpreter;
- vocabulary;
- verb;
- pantry of words;
- lexical stock.
Now let's move on to the origin of the word "lexicon".
Etymology
According to the data set out in the Max Vasmer dictionary, the origin of the term in question is as follows. It originates in the ancient Greek language, where there isthe noun λεξικόν, which literally means "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 passed into this language from Latin through a book way, having been formed from the Latin noun lexicon.
