Key Problems of English Lexicology in Higher Education Institution

Abstract

The article is devoted to the main problems faced by students of philology in the study of English lexicology. In the university course lexicology is considered as a branch of linguistics that has its own goals and methods of research, main tasks and systematic description of vocabulary according to its origin, development and current use. The paper emphasizes the importance of studying lexicology in the course of higher education institution, because knowledge of lexical units is the basis for the formation of communicative competence and for mastering a foreign language in general. The study of lexicology plays an important role in all types of speech activity (reading, speaking, writing and listening). A sufficient number of programs and textbooks on English lexicology served the material of the article. After analyzing the research material, we can identify the main thematic blocks that are traditionally studied in the course of English lexicology in higher education institution: word formation, semasiology and etymology of the word. The main problems in studying word formation are the distinction between "morpheme" - "allomorph" - "morph", recognizing different affixes, knowledge of which promotes better understanding of texts and the ability to speak succinctly orally and in writing, defining different ways of word formation. In the thematic block "Semasiology" the most problematic issues are the meaning of the word, as well as synonymy and polysemy, due to which a large number of new meanings of words appear in the English language. Studying the problems of the thematic block "Etymology of the word", including the classification of native and borrowed vocabulary, the presence in English of such concepts as etymological doublets, triplets and hybrids, etc., will allow students of philology not only to distinguish English lexemes from borrowed ones, but it will also show them the richness of the English language, its development, dynamics and improvement, it will cultivate respect for the history and language of the English people. Lexicology should be considered the basic of the English language course in the higher education institution, as the formation of lexical competence is an important component in the formation of foreign language communicative competence. In the process of studying the course, students learn new words, phrases, phraseological units that they need to develop skills of their usage in various types of productive (speaking, writing) and receptive (reading, listening) activities.