What is vocabulary?

The most important unit of language is the word. The vocabulary of any language is huge, and especially of such a rich language as Russian. The number of words can not be counted. Some words disappear from use, new words appear. Some words are used by almost any native speaker of this language, and some are used only by a small part of it.

In translation from Greek, "lexis" means "word". Therefore, to the question, what is vocabulary, the definition in general form sounds like this - it is the vocabulary of the language, that is, the totality of all words contained in the language. The section of the science of language, which studies vocabulary, is called lexicology.

Lexicology divides the entire vocabulary into different strata, and also conducts other grades in the vocabulary of the language, giving a more complete understanding of what vocabulary is.

Thus, lexicology divides the vocabulary of the language into four strata:

1. The totality of words in connection with the scope of their use. To this layer, for example, include the vocabulary of oral speech, colloquial and everyday vocabulary, scientific vocabulary and so on;
2. The totality of words associated with their origin. Here the native Russian vocabulary, Eastern Slavic vocabulary, borrowed vocabulary, international vocabulary is distinguished;
3. Stylistic layer, which includes, for example, neutral, emotional, poetic, colloquial vocabulary;
4. The fourth layer is a collection of words used by a particular literary direction, a work of art, or characteristic of a particular writer.