Stylistics classification of the English vocabulary

In order to get a more or less clear idea of the word stock (словарный состав) of any language, it must be presented as a system, the elements of which are interconnected, interrelated and get independent. The word stock of the English language is derived into 3 main layers:

· the literary layer (литературный)

· the neutral layer

· the colloquial layer

The literary layer as well as the colloquial layer contains a number of subgroups each of which has a property it shares with all the subgroups within the layer. This common property which unites the different groups of words within the layer may be called its aspect.

· The aspect of the literary layer is its bookish character. This makes the layer more or less stable.

· The aspect of the colloquial layer is its spoken character. This makes it unstable, fleeting (плавающий).

· The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. That means, it is unrestricted in its views. It can be used in all styles of language and in all spheres of human activity. This makes the layer the most stable of all.

The literary layer of words consists of groups excepted legitimate (за исключением полноправных) member of the English vocabulary. They have no local or dialectal character.

The colloquial layer of words is frequently limited to a definite language community or confined to a special locality where it circulates.

The literary vocabulary consists of the following groups:

· common literary words

· terms and learned words (научные слова)

· poetic words

· archaic words

· barbarisms and foreign words

· literary coinages/ neologisms

The colloquial layer falls into following groups of words

· common colloquial words

· slang

· jargonisms

· professional words

· dialectal words

· vulgar words

· colloquial neologisms

Common literary words, neutral words, common colloquial words are called standard English vocabulary. Other groups in the literary layer are regarded as special literary vocabulary and special vocabulary

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