Aspects to be taught: Form: pronunciation and spelling
Grammar
Collocation
Aspects of meaning (1):
denotation,
connotation,
appropriateness
Aspects of meaning (2): meaning relationships
synonyms
antonyms
hyponyms
co-hyponyms (co-ordinates)
super ordinates
translation
f) Word formation
Form: pronunciation and spelling The learner has to know what a word sounds like (its pronunciation) and what it looks like (its spelling).
Grammar
We need to teach grammar because a lexical (or a vocabulary item) may have a change of form in certain grammatical contexts; it is important to provide learners with this information at the same time as we teach the base form. When teaching a verb, what should we give?
(Forms (2, 3), transitive or intransitive, followed by the to –inf. (bare inf. or -ing form), prepositions)
Collocation
A collocation is a combination of two words which should go with one another and can’t be used with the other word. Collocation always implies combinability. There are a lot of dictionaries of collocations, mostly verbal. Ex.: we introduce the word conclusion we should note that we can come to the conclusion. As for the word ‘decision’ we can take a decision, make a decision but not ‘come to a decision’.
Ex.: mistake Give collocations with the word
Aspects of meaning:
denotation
connotation
appropriateness
The meaning of a word is what it refers to in the real world, its denotation.
Dog – denotes a kind of animal A less obvious component of the meaning of an item is its connotation, the associations, positive or negative feelings, and its special flavour.
The word Dog understood by the British has positive connotations of friendship and loyalty. In Arab countries it has a negative connotation of dirt and inferiority. A more subtle aspect of meaning that needs to be taught is whether a vocabulary item is appropriate to use in a certain context or not. It is useful for a leaner to know that a certain word is common or rare, or ‘taboo’ in polite conversation. It can be formal or informal.
Weep – formal (in writing) Cry – informal (in speech)