Lexicology is the study of the lexis, the library of words which make up a language. A lexis may also be referred to as a vocabulary; in both cases, the term is meant to encompass all of the words used in a language, including variants and archaic forms. People who work in the field of lexicology are known as lexicologists, and are often found working in academia. Several colleges and universities offer opportunities to study lexicology, including the lexicology of foreign languages.
A number of different areas of interest are combined in lexicology. People who study words are interested in the relationships between various words, the labeling of types of words, the exploration of word groups and their relationships, and the evolutions in word and language use which occur over time. A lexicologist can study regional differences in word use, and also look at the history of words studied, exploring their origins and seeing how their usage has deviated from their original meaning in situations where this is the case.
Linguistics figures heavily in lexicology, and many researchers in this field are also interested in semantics, the examination of meaning. A lexicologist may opt to study the lexis of any language, and can work with a wide variety of materials including original source texts which demonstrate historical word use, dictionaries, and other references. Commonly, knowledge of multiple languages is required to fully delve into word use and origins, especially since many modern languages freely borrow words from each other.
Specialists known as lexicographers work on texts such as dictionaries. These lexicology professionals write out words and their variants, research roots, and define meanings, developing texts which provide resources for people interested in word meanings and origins. Lexicologists are not necessarily involved with the production of dictionaries, though, and their work can be applied in all sorts of ways and from many perspectives.
People who are interested in careers in lexicology should plan on spending rather a lot of time in school, as many people in this field have doctorate degrees and have completed postgraduate work. It helps to have an interest in words and language and to be grounded in one or more foreign languages before entering this field of study. An eye for detail and an interest in history is also recommended for would-be lexicologists. This type of work requires precision and patience, paired with a passion for language.
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a LanguageHumanities researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.