Re: counting vocabulary This is in a way the job of lexicology (the study of words) and lexicography ie what to include in a dictionary. Popular proper names and names of some products have become part and parcel of dictionaries. Neutral is part of the entry or lexeme neuter. But nowadays dictionaries give neutral and neutrality separate entries. A dictionary entry is called lexeme because the concept of "word" is ambiguous. You really need to define what a word is. That's why there are different types of dictionaries. OED for instance is based on historical principles and tells you when a word was first recorded. Lexicography has changed a lot lately. In addition to basic information like meaning and pronunciation they now provide a wealth of information (encyclopedic knowledge depending upon the size): frequency, defining vocabulary, collocations, False Friends, confusables, grammar/usage/cultural notes in addition to thesauri. So you can expect much more from dictionaries nowadays.
Last edited by Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim; 28-May-2007 at 11:25.
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