What does the word vocabulary mean

«Vocab» redirects here. For the song by Fugees, see Vocab (song).

A vocabulary is a set of familiar words within a person’s language. A vocabulary, usually developed with age, serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge. Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is one of the largest challenges in learning a second language.

Definition and usage[edit]

Vocabulary is commonly defined as «all the words known and used by a particular person».^[1]

Productive and receptive knowledge[edit]

The first major change distinction that must be made when evaluating word knowledge is whether the knowledge is productive (also called achieve or active) or receptive (also called receive or passive); even within those opposing categories, there is often no clear distinction. Words that are generally understood when heard or read or seen constitute a person’s receptive vocabulary. These words may range from well known to barely known (see degree of knowledge below). A person’s receptive vocabulary is usually the larger of the two. For example, although a young child may not yet be able to speak, write, or sign, they may be able to follow simple commands and appear to understand a good portion of the language to which they are exposed. In this case, the child’s receptive vocabulary is likely tens, if not hundreds of words, but their active vocabulary is zero. When that child learns to speak or sign, however, the child’s active vocabulary begins to increase. It is also possible for the productive vocabulary to be larger than the receptive vocabulary, for example in a second-language learner who has learned words through study rather than exposure, and can produce them, but has difficulty recognizing them in conversation.

Productive vocabulary, therefore, generally refers to words that can be produced within an appropriate context and match the intended meaning of the speaker or signer. As with receptive vocabulary, however, there are many degrees at which a particular word may be considered part of an active vocabulary. Knowing how to pronounce, sign, or write a word does not necessarily mean that the word that has been used correctly or accurately reflects the intended message; but it does reflect a minimal amount of productive knowledge.

Degree of knowledge[edit]

Within the receptive–productive distinction lies a range of abilities that are often referred to as degree of knowledge. This simply indicates that a word gradually enters a person’s vocabulary over a period of time as more aspects of word knowledge are learnt. Roughly, these stages could be described as:

1. Never encountered the word.
2. Heard the word, but cannot define it.
3. Recognizes the word due to context or tone of voice.
4. Able to use the word and understand the general and/or intended meaning, but cannot clearly explain it.
5. Fluent with the word – its use and definition.

Depth of knowledge[edit]

The differing degrees of word knowledge imply a greater depth of knowledge, but the process is more complex than that. There are many facets to knowing a word, some of which are not hierarchical so their acquisition does not necessarily follow a linear progression suggested by degree of knowledge. Several frameworks of word knowledge have been proposed to better operationalise this concept. One such framework includes nine facets:

1. orthography – written form
2. phonology – spoken form
3. reference – meaning
4. semantics – concept and reference
5. register – appropriacy of use or register
6. collocation – lexical neighbours
7. word associations
8. syntax – grammatical function
9. morphology – word parts

Definition of word[edit]

Words can be defined in various ways, and estimates of vocabulary size differ depending on the definition used. The most common definition is that of a lemma (the inflected or dictionary form; this includes walk, but not walks, walked or walking). Most of the time lemmas do not include proper nouns (names of people, places, companies, etc.). Another definition often used in research of vocabulary size is that of word family. These are all the words that can be derived from a ground word (e.g., the words effortless, effortlessly, effortful, effortfully are all part of the word family effort). Estimates of vocabulary size range from as high as 200 thousand to as low as 10 thousand, depending on the definition used.^[2]

Types of vocabulary[edit]

Listed in order of most ample to most limited:^[3][4]

Reading vocabulary[edit]

A person’s reading vocabulary is all the words recognized when reading. This class of vocabulary is generally the most ample, as new words are more commonly encountered when reading than when listening.

Listening vocabulary[edit]

A person’s listening vocabulary comprises the words recognized when listening to speech. Cues such as the speaker’s tone and gestures, the topic of discussion, and the conversation’s social context may convey the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

Speaking vocabulary[edit]

A person’s speaking vocabulary comprises the words used in speech and is generally a subset of the listening vocabulary. Due to the spontaneous nature of speech, words are often misused slightly and unintentionally, but facial expressions and tone of voice can compensate for this misuse.

Writing vocabulary[edit]

The written word appears in registers as different as formal essays and social media feeds. While many written words rarely appear in speech, a person’s written vocabulary is generally limited by preference and context: a writer may prefer one synonym over another, and they will be unlikely to use technical vocabulary relating to a subject in which they have no interest or knowledge.

Final vocabulary[edit]

The American philosopher Richard Rorty characterized a person’s «final vocabulary» as follows:

All human beings carry about a set of words which they employ to justify their actions, their beliefs, and their lives. These are the words in which we formulate praise of our friends and contempt for our enemies, our long-term projects, our deepest self-doubts and our highest hopes… I shall call these words a person’s «final vocabulary». Those words are as far as he can go with language; beyond them is only helpless passivity or a resort to force. (Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity p. 73)^[5]

Focal vocabulary[edit]

Focal vocabulary is a specialized set of terms and distinctions that is particularly important to a certain group: those with a particular focus of experience or activity. A lexicon, or vocabulary, is a language’s dictionary: its set of names for things, events, and ideas. Some linguists believe that lexicon influences people’s perception of things, the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis. For example, the Nuer of Sudan have an elaborate vocabulary to describe cattle. The Nuer have dozens of names for cattle because of the cattle’s particular histories, economies, and environments^{[clarification needed]}. This kind of comparison has elicited some linguistic controversy, as with the number of «Eskimo words for snow». English speakers with relevant specialised knowledge can also display elaborate and precise vocabularies for snow and cattle when the need arises.^[6][7]

Vocabulary growth[edit]

During its infancy, a child instinctively builds a vocabulary. Infants imitate words that they hear and then associate those words with objects and actions. This is the listening vocabulary. The speaking vocabulary follows, as a child’s thoughts become more reliant on their ability to self-express without relying on gestures or babbling. Once the reading and writing vocabularies start to develop, through questions and education, the child starts to discover the anomalies and irregularities of language.

In first grade, a child who can read learns about twice as many words as one who cannot. Generally, this gap does not narrow later. This results in a wide range of vocabulary by age five or six, when an English-speaking child will have learned about 1500 words.^[8]

Vocabulary grows throughout one’s life. Between the ages of 20 and 60, people learn about 6,000 more lemmas, or one every other day.^[9] An average 20-year-old knows 42,000 lemmas coming from 11,100 word families.^[9] People expand their vocabularies by e.g. reading, playing word games, and participating in vocabulary-related programs. Exposure to traditional print media teaches correct spelling and vocabulary, while exposure to text messaging leads to more relaxed word acceptability constraints.^[10]

Importance[edit]

• An extensive vocabulary aids expression and communication.
• Vocabulary size has been directly linked to reading comprehension.^[11]
• Linguistic vocabulary is synonymous with thinking vocabulary.^[11]
• A person may be judged by others based on their vocabulary.
• Wilkins (1972) said, «Without grammar, very little can be conveyed; without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.»^[12]

Vocabulary size[edit]

Native-language vocabulary[edit]

Estimating average vocabulary size poses various difficulties and limitations due to the different definitions and methods employed such as what is the word, what is to know a word, what sample dictionaries were used, how tests were conducted, and so on.^{[9][13][14][15]} Native speakers’ vocabularies also vary widely within a language, and are dependent on the level of the speaker’s education.

As a result, estimates vary from 10,000-17,000 word families^[13][16] or 17,000-42,000 dictionary words for young adult native speakers of English.^[9][14]

A 2016 study shows that 20-year-old English native speakers recognize on average 42,000 lemmas, ranging from 27,100 for the lowest 5% of the population to 51,700 lemmas for the highest 5%. These lemmas come from 6,100 word families in the lowest 5% of the population and 14,900 word families in the highest 5%. 60-year-olds know on average 6,000 lemmas more.
^[9]

According to another, earlier 1995 study junior-high students would be able to recognize the meanings of about 10,000–12,000 words, whereas for college students this number grows up to about 12,000–17,000 and for elderly adults up to about 17,000 or more.^[17]

For native speakers of German, average absolute vocabulary sizes range from 5,900 lemmas in first grade to 73,000 for adults.^[18]

Foreign-language vocabulary[edit]

The effects of vocabulary size on language comprehension[edit]

The knowledge of the 3000 most frequent English word families or the 5000 most frequent words provides 95% vocabulary coverage of spoken discourse.^[19]
For minimal reading comprehension a threshold of 3,000 word families (5,000 lexical items) was suggested^[20][21] and for reading for pleasure 5,000 word families (8,000 lexical items) are required.^[22] An «optimal» threshold of 8,000 word families yields the coverage of 98% (including proper nouns).^[21]

Second language vocabulary acquisition[edit]

Learning vocabulary is one of the first steps in learning a second language, but a learner never finishes vocabulary acquisition. Whether in one’s native language or a second language, the acquisition of new vocabulary is an ongoing process. There are many techniques that help one acquire new vocabulary.

Memorization[edit]

Although memorization can be seen as tedious or boring, associating one word in the native language with the corresponding word in the second language until memorized is considered one of the best methods of vocabulary acquisition. By the time students reach adulthood, they generally have gathered a number of personalized memorization methods. Although many argue that memorization does not typically require the complex cognitive processing that increases retention (Sagarra and Alba, 2006),^[23] it does typically require a large amount of repetition, and spaced repetition with flashcards is an established method for memorization, particularly used for vocabulary acquisition in computer-assisted language learning. Other methods typically require more time and longer to recall.

Some words cannot be easily linked through association or other methods. When a word in the second language is phonologically or visually similar to a word in the native language, one often assumes they also share similar meanings. Though this is frequently the case, it is not always true. When faced with a false friend, memorization and repetition are the keys to mastery. If a second language learner relies solely on word associations to learn new vocabulary, that person will have a very difficult time mastering false friends. When large amounts of vocabulary must be acquired in a limited amount of time, when the learner needs to recall information quickly, when words represent abstract concepts or are difficult to picture in a mental image, or when discriminating between false friends, rote memorization is the method to use. A neural network model of novel word learning across orthographies, accounting for L1-specific memorization abilities of L2-learners has recently been introduced (Hadzibeganovic and Cannas, 2009).^[24]

The keyword method[edit]

One way of learning vocabulary is to use mnemonic devices or to create associations between words, this is known as the «keyword method» (Sagarra and Alba, 2006).^[23] It also takes a long time to implement — and takes a long time to recollect — but because it makes a few new strange ideas connect it may help in learning.^[23] Also it presumably does not conflict with Paivio’s dual coding system^[25] because it uses visual and verbal mental faculties. However, this is still best used for words that represent concrete things, as abstract concepts are more difficult to remember.^[23]

Word lists[edit]

Several word lists have been developed to provide people with a limited vocabulary for rapid language proficiency or for effective communication. These include Basic English (850 words), Special English (1,500 words), General Service List (2,000 words), and Academic Word List. Some learner’s dictionaries have developed defining vocabularies which contain only most common and basic words. As a result, word definitions in such dictionaries can be understood even by learners with a limited vocabulary.^[26][27][28] Some publishers produce dictionaries based on word frequency^[29] or thematic groups.^[30][31][32]

The Swadesh list was made for investigation in linguistics.

See also[edit]

• Differences between American and British English (vocabulary)
• Language proficiency: The ability of an individual to speak or perform in an acquired language
• Lexicon
• Longest word in English: Many of the longest words in the English language
• Mental lexicon

Footnotes[edit]

References[edit]

• Barnhart, Clarence Lewis (ed.) (1968). The World Book Dictionary. Chicago: Thorndike-Barnhart, OCLC 437494
• Brysbaert M, Stevens M, Mandera P and Keuleers E (2016) How Many Words Do We Know? Practical Estimates of Vocabulary Size Dependent on Word Definition, the Degree of Language Input and the Participant’s Age. Front. Psychol. 7:1116. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01116.
• Flynn, James Robert (2008). Where have all the liberals gone? : race, class, and ideals in America. Cambridge University Press; 1st edition. ISBN 978-0-521-49431-1 OCLC 231580885
• Lenkeit, Roberta Edwards (2007) Introducing cultural anthropology Boston: McGraw-Hill (3rd. ed.) OCLC 64230435
• Liu, Na; Nation, I. S. P. (1985). «Factors affecting guessing vocabulary in context» (PDF). RELC Journal. 16: 33–42. doi:10.1177/003368828501600103. S2CID 145695274.
• Miller, Barbara D. (1999). Cultural Anthropology(4th ed.) Boston: Allyn and Bacon, p. 315 OCLC 39101950
• Schonell, Sir Fred Joyce, Ivor G. Meddleton and B. A. Shaw, A study of the oral vocabulary of adults : an investigation into the spoken vocabulary of the Australian worker, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1956. OCLC 606593777
• West, Michael (1953). A general service list of English words, with semantic frequencies and a supplementary word-list for the writing of popular science and technology London, New York: Longman, Green OCLC 318957

External links[edit]

• Bibliography on vocabulary I.S.P. Nation’s extensive collection of research on vocabulary.
• Vocabulary Acquisition Research Group Archive An bibliographic database on vocabulary acquisition at Swansea University.

What do we mean by vocabulary?

All the words of a language. noun

The sum of words used by, understood by, or at the command of a particular person or group. noun

A list of words and often phrases, usually arranged alphabetically and defined or translated; a lexicon or glossary. noun

A supply of expressive means; a repertoire of communication. noun

A list or collection of the words of a language, a dialect, a single work or author, a nomenclature, or the like, arranged usually in alphabetical order and briefly defined and explained; a glossary; a word-book; a dictionary or lexicon: as, a vocabulary of Anglo-Indian words; a vocabulary of technical terms; a vocabulary of Virgil. noun

The words of a language; the sum or stock of words employed in a language, or by a particular person; range of language. noun

Synonyms Vocabulary, Dictionary, Glossary, Lexicon, Nomenclature. A vocabudary, in the present use, is a list of words occurring in a specific work or author, generally arranged alphabetically, concisely defined, and appended to the text; whereas we generally apply the term dictionary to a word-book of all the words in a language or in any department of art or science, without reference to any particular work: thus, we speak of a vocabxdary to Cæsar, but of a dictionary of the Latin language, or of architecture, chemistry, etc. An exception to this may be where the words of an author are so fully treated, by derivation, illustration, etc., as to seem to amount to more than a vocabulary: as, a Homeric dictionary. A glossary is yet more restricted than a vocabulary, being a list and explanation of such terms in a work or author as are peculiar, as by being technical, dialectal, or antiquated: as, a glossary to Chaucer, Burns, etc; a glossary of terms of art, philosophy, etc. Lexicon was originally and is often still confined to dictionaries of the Greek or Hebrew tongues, but it is also freely applied to a dictionary of any dead or merely foreign language: as, a German-English lexicon. A nomenclature is a complete list of the names or technical terms belonging to any one division or subdivision of science. noun

Idiom, Diction, etc. See langwage. noun

A list or collection of words arranged in alphabetical order and explained; a dictionary or lexicon, either of a whole language, a single work or author, a branch of science, or the like; a word-book. noun

A sum or stock of words employed. noun

A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. noun

The collection of words a person knows and uses. noun

The stock of words used in a particular field. noun

The words of a language collectively. noun

A range of artistic or stylistic forms or techniques noun

A language user’s knowledge of words noun

The system of techniques or symbols serving as a means of expression (as in arts or crafts) noun

A listing of the words used in some enterprise noun

A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning.

The collection of words a person knows and uses.

The stock of words used in a particular field.

The words of a language collectively.

A range of artistic or stylistic forms or techniques

Those words that we speak Urban Dictionary

The words, riffs, moves, notes, experiences, or songs that we can use to express ourselves. Urban Dictionary

The only place where marriage still comes before sex Urban Dictionary

Adjective.
1. Having an impressively thorough vocabulary or knowledge of a language, but feeling the need to illustrate that to all persons with which one comes into contact.
2. Showing sesquipedalianism. Urban Dictionary

A word bank in your head Urban Dictionary

In relation to having a cool vocabulary and using it in practice.. Urban Dictionary

A bunch of words. Urban Dictionary

One of the absolute gayest books assigned to complete in highschool. It has words you must learn and it asks questions about those words and it is a complete pain in the ass. There were sites where you could find answers to these but they quickly got shut down. All these books are are a pain in the ass. Urban Dictionary

This is the dropping of large words to demonstrate a large vocabulary rather than to communicate clearly and simply. Urban Dictionary

A person who tells you better, more complicated words you could have used in your previous sentence. Often a grammar nazi as well. Always annoying. Urban Dictionary

What does the word vocabulary mean?

Vocabulary is all about words — the words in a language or a special set of words you are trying to learn. … First used in the 1500s to mean a list of words with explanations, the noun vocabulary came to refer to the “range of language of a person or group” about two hundred years later.

What is vocabulary in grammar?

The noun vocabulary (or vocab for short) refers to the words used in a language. The word vocabulary can have at least three different meanings: 1. all of the words in a language. New words are constantly being added to the vocabulary of English.

How can I speak with new vocabulary?

7 Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

1. Develop a reading habit. Vocabulary building is easiest when you encounter words in context. …
2. Use the dictionary and thesaurus. …
3. Play word games. …
4. Use flashcards. …
5. Subscribe to “word of the day” feeds. …
6. Use mnemonics. …
7. Practice using new words in conversation.

How long does it take to learn 1000 words?

Our core vocabulary lists are 1,000 words long. At 51 seconds per word, assuming every word on the list is new, this takes 14.

How long does it take to learn vocabulary?

FSI research indicates that it takes 480 hours to reach basic fluency in group 1 languages, and 720 hours for group 2-4 languages. If we are able to put in 10 hours a day to learn a language, then basic fluency in the easy languages should take 48 days, and for difficult languages 72 days.

What is the most effective way to learn vocabulary?

The 6 Best Techniques for Learning Vocabulary

1. 1) Write, Look, Cover, Repeat (WLCR) This is the ultimate classic. …
2. 2) Get them all. This technique is very well suited to learning by immersion. …
3. 3) Flashcarding. Flashcards are great for learners who work very well with visual clues. …
4. 4) Work in a Context.

Which app is best for vocabulary?

Below are the 10 best English vocabulary improving apps for Android.

• Busuu. The best and fastest way to learn English is not to do it alone. …
• Advanced English & Thesaurus. …
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary. …
• uVocab – Vocabulary Trainer. …
• Voxy. …
• SAT Vocabulary. …
• Practice English Grammar. …
• Miss Spell’s Class.

Is there an app to improve my vocabulary?

1. Vocabulary.com. This combined learning tool and game allows you to either learn and retain words you choose or words the app chooses for you. …
2. PowerVocab. …
3. Magoosh Vocabulary Builder. …
4. A Word A Day Widget. …
5. 7 Little Words. …
6. Word to Word. …
7. Words with Friends. …
8. Penny Dell Crosswords.

How can I speak better and clear?

Following are some fairly painless tips for speaking better:

1. Avoid skipping words. …
2. Speak long phrases or full sentences. …
3. Make sure you pronounce even small words like “a” and “the.” If, like most people, you normally pronounce the word “a” as “uh,” keep doing so. …
4. Avoid running words together.

How can I talk more professionally?

Speak Like a Professional

1. Use short, clear, declarative sentences. Short sentences focus your message and make it easier for your audience to follow. …
2. Speak in the active tense. Own your actions. …
3. Stay calm under pressure. …
4. Speak naturally. …
5. Say what you mean. …
6. Focus on what matters to your audience. …
7. Be specific.

Content

• What is Vocabulary:
• Active vocabulary and passive vocabulary
• Technical vocabulary

What is Vocabulary:

The vocabulary It is made up of the set of words that make up a language. In this sense, a vocabulary is synonymous with lexicon to the extent that this is the set of lexical units that make up a language. The word, as such, comes from Latin vocabŭlum, and it means ‘word’.

What vocabulary The set of words of a language that are common or particular to a certain region is also designated: vocabulary chilango, porteño, cachaco, madrileño; of a discipline, trade or specific area of ​​knowledge: legal, managerial, scientific, fishing vocabulary; or one that is associated with a specific semantic field: the vocabulary of love.

See also Semantic field.

Vocabulary It can also refer to a dictionary or to the book or catalog (glossary, lexicon) that contains a list of words with their definitions.

Vocabulary It can also refer to the set of words that a person uses daily or knows. This type of vocabulary is also known as mental lexicon.

A wide vocabulary It is always a highly valued aptitude in the communication skills of a person, since it is considered that they demonstrate intelligence, level of education and cultural background. In this sense, it is usual, during the formative years, that one of the issues that educators emphasize is the gradual increase in vocabulary by their students.

Active vocabulary and passive vocabulary

The human being, as such, knows many words. Some he masters them perfectly and uses them daily; others, however, he hardly knows or interprets them, either because he knows the meaning or because he deciphers the meaning due to the context. In this sense, considering the degrees of mastery that a person has over their own lexicon, we can divide their vocabulary into passive or receptive and active or productive.

The passive or receptive vocabulary It is one that the subject can understand without help, on his own, but that he is not able to use to produce a message. For example, you may know that Gestalt therapy is a subject of psychology, but you are not able to explain yourself what this method is about.

The active or productive vocabulary, for its part, is one that a person can use effectively because it has been fully integrated into their everyday language and is capable of producing messages with it. That is, it is the type of vocabulary that a person understands and uses when required without the need for help.

In this sense, it is said that in the vocabulary acquisition process It is normal to go through these two phases in succession, the first stage being associated with passive vocabulary, and the next with the acquisition of vocabulary in a productive or active way. This type of process can be seen above all in childhood or when learning new languages.

Technical vocabulary

What technical vocabulary It is called that set of words inherent to certain disciplines, trades or areas of knowledge, which are only known or usual among specialists in each specific field. As such, technical vocabularies are objective classifications of words, where the designation and meaning coincide, that is, the terms are not interpretable in another way, their meaning is, in this sense, univocal. Vocabularies such as scientific or legal are an example of this type of specialized lexicon.