Stystic Classification of English Vocabulary

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International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) 
ISSN: 2319-7064 
ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426 
Volume 9 Issue 2, February 2020 
www.ijsr.net
 
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Stystic Classification of English Vocabulary 
Oniani T. G 
Professor
, Moscow Avenue 38 Floor-8.Room 174, Tbilisi, Georgia 0137 
Abstract: 
The aim of the work is to speak about of the stylistic classification of English vocabulary. Like any linguistic issues the 
classification of the vocabulary here suggested is for purely stylistic purposes. This is important for the course is as much as some SD-s 
are based on the interplay of different stylistic aspects of words. The common literary, neutral and common colloquial words are 
grouped under the terms STANDARD ENGLISH VOCABULARY. Indeed, the coinage of new lexical units, the development of 
meaning, the differentiation of words according to their stylistic evaluation and their spheres of usage systematic character of the word-
stock of a language amounts to denying the systematic character of language as a whole, words being elements in the general system of 
language. 
 
Keywords: 
language, stylistic, English, vocabulary, synonyms, literary, special, alternation, phenomenon, word, process, interesting, term, 
science, interesting, relevance, immediately, society, terminology, ordinary, aspect 
1. General Consideration 
Like any linguistic issue the classification of the vocabulary 
here suggested is for purely stylistic purposes. This is 
important for the course inasmuch as some SDs are based on 
the interplay of different stylistic aspects of words. It follows 
then that a discussion of the ways the English vocabulary 
can be classified from a stylistic point of view should be 
given proper attention. 
In order to get a more or less clear idea of the word-stock of 
any language, it must be presented as a system, the elements 
of which are interconnected, interrelated and yet 
independent. Some linguists, who clearly see the systematic 
character of language as a whole, deny, however, the 
possibility of systematically classifying the vocabulary. 
They say that the word-stock of any language is so large and 
so heterogeneous that it is impossible to formalize it and 
therefore present it in any system. The words of a language 
are thought of as a chaotic body whether viewed from their 
origin and development or from their present state. 
Indeed, the coinage of new lexical units, the development of 
meaning, the differentiation of words according to their 
stylistic evaluation and their spheres of usage, the 
correlation between meaning and concept and other 
problems connected which vocabulary are so multifarious 
and varied that it is difficult to grasp the systematic character 
of the word-stock of a language, though it co – exists with 
the systems of other levels – phonetics, morphology and 
syntax. 
To deny the systematic character of the word-stock of a 
language amounts to denying the systematic character of 
language as a whole, words being elements in the general 
system of language. 
The word-stock of a language may be represented as a 
definite system in which different aspects of words may be 
single out as interdependent. 
A special branch of linguistic science – lexicology-has done 
much to classify vocabulary. A glance at the connects of any 
book on lexicology will suffice to ascertain the outline of the 
system of the word-stock of the given language. 
For our purpose, i.e. for linguistics, a special type of 
classification, with stylistic classification, is most important. 
In accordance with the already – mentioned division of 
language into literary and colloquial, we may represent the 
whole of the word-stock 
1) Special literary vocabulary – Terms - Archaic words- 
Poetical words- Nonce words – Foreignisms and 
Barbarisms 
2) Common literary vocabulary – Neutral words- English 
vocabulary-Standard 
3) Common colloquial vocabulary- Special colloquial 
vocabulary (non-literary) – Professionalisms – Nonce 
words-Slang – Dialectal words –jargon- vulgarisms. 
Of the English language as being divided into three main 
layers: the literary layer, the neutral layer an colloquial 
layer. The literary and the colloquial layers contain 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 
markedly bookish character. It is this that makes the layer 
more or less stable. The aspect of the colloquial layer of 
words is its lively spoken character. It is this that makes is 
unstable, fleeting. 
The aspect of the neutral layer is its universal character. That 
means it is unrestricted in its use. It can be employed in all 
styles of language and in all spheres of human activity. It is 
this that makes the layer the most stable of all. 
The literary layer of words consists f groups accepted as 
legitimate members of the English vocabulary. They have no 
local or dialectal character. 
The colloquial layer of words as qualified in most English or 
American dictionaries is at infrequently limited to a definite 
language community or confined to special locality where it 
circulates.
The literary vocabulary consists of the following groups of 
words:1. Co m mo n literary; 2. Terms and learned word; 3. 
Poetic words; 4. Archaic words;5. barbarisms and foreign 
words; 6. Literary coinages Including nonce-words. 
Paper ID: SR20221100932
DOI: 10.21275/SR20221100932
1548 

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