Chapter Ⅰ Introduction 1
Ⅰ．Definition of lexicology 1
Ⅱ．Two approaches to language study 2
Ⅲ．The relation of lexicology to other branches of linguistics 2
Ⅳ．The aims and significance of the course of Modern English Lexicology 6
Chapter Ⅱ A General Survey of a Word 8
Ⅰ．Definition of a word 8
Ⅱ．Meaning and concept of a word 12
Ⅲ．Grammatical meaning 15
Ⅳ．Lexical meaning 16
Ⅴ．Denotational and connotational meaning 17
Ⅵ．Motivation 18
Chapter Ⅲ Morphological Structure of English Words 21
Ⅰ．What is a morpheme? 21
Ⅱ．Classification of morphemes 22
Ⅲ．Analysis into immediate constituents 26
Ⅳ．Derivational and functional affixes 29
Ⅴ．Allomorphs 31
Ⅵ．Classification of suffixes 33
Ⅶ．Preffixes 36
Ⅷ．The valency of affixes and stems 39
Ⅸ．Productive and non-productive affixes 43
Ⅹ．The etymology of affixes 46
Ⅺ．Hybrids 49
Chapter Ⅳ Word-formation（Ⅰ）（The Three Maior Processes of Word-formation 53
Ⅰ．Introductory remarks 53
Ⅱ．Affixation 55
Ⅲ．Compounding 56
Ⅳ．Conversion 69
Chapter Ⅴ Word-formation（Ⅱ）（The Minor Processes of Word-formation 80
Ⅰ．Clipping 80
Ⅱ．Acronymy——Initialisms，Acronyms and Graphical Abbreviations 86
Ⅲ．Blending 89
Ⅳ．Back-formation 91
Ⅴ．Reduplication 92
Ⅵ．Words from proper names 95
Ⅶ．Neoclassical formation 98
Ⅷ．Miscellaneous 98
Chapter Ⅵ Semantic Change 102
Ⅰ．Historical survey 102
Ⅱ．Four tendencies in semantic change 104
Ⅲ．Figures of speech 112
Ⅳ．The elements of the semantic structure 120
Ⅴ．Causes of semantic change 122
Chapter Ⅶ English Idioms 127
Ⅰ．Introductory remarks 127
Ⅱ．Characteristic features of English idioms 128
Ⅲ．Classification of English idioms 135
Ⅳ．Sources of E nglish idioms 142
Ⅴ．Phrasal verbs 144
Ⅵ．Proverbs,sayings,familiar quotations and cliches 149
Chapter Ⅷ Polysemy and Homonymy 156
Ⅰ．Polysemy 156
Ⅱ．Homonyms 164
Chapter Ⅸ Synonyms and Antonyms 169
Ⅰ．Synonymy 169
Ⅱ．Antonymy 181
Chapter Ⅹ The Stylistically Marked and Stylistically NeutraI Words 196
Ⅰ．Functional styles 196
Ⅱ．Learned words and official vocabulary 198
Ⅲ．Poetic diction 199
Ⅳ．Colloquial words and expressions 200
Ⅴ．Slang 203
Chapter Ⅺ Neologisms,Obsoletisms and Archaisms 209
Ⅰ．Neologisms 209
Ⅱ．Obsoletisms and archaisms 212
Chapter Ⅻ Regional Varieties of the English Vocabulary 217
Ⅰ．Standard English,variants and dialects 217
Ⅱ．American English 221
Chapter ⅩⅢ Native Words and Loan Words 242
Ⅰ．The native element in the English vocabulary 242
Ⅱ．Characteristics of the native element 243
Ⅲ．The foreign element in the English vocabulary 245
Ⅳ．Assimilation of loan words 257
Ⅴ．Etymological doublets 262
Ⅵ．International words 263
Chapter ⅩⅣ English Lexicography 266
Ⅰ．What is lexicography? 266
Ⅱ．Some of the main problems in lexicography 267
Ⅲ．Types of dictionaries 269
Ⅳ．Historical development of British and American lexicography 276
Ⅴ．How to use a dictionary 285