It is common to find lexicon and vocabulary as synonyms, however, this is not the proper way to define these two terms. With this in mind, Brasil Escola decided to prepare a text to put an end to this confusion. Come on?
What is lexicon?
The lexicon is a kind of collection of words in a language, configuring itself, therefore, as one of those responsible for housing and representing the cultural heritage of a people. Speakers of a language are not able to fully master the lexicon of their mother tongue. This is because the mutability of the lexicon, its main characteristic, is a barrier for this to happen.
What is vocabulary?
To form his vocabulary, the speaker accesses the set of words belonging to a language, that is, the lexicon. In other words, vocabulary is a part of the lexicon, characterized by the selection that a speaker makes of the words available in the language.
word concept
in front of differences between lexicon and vocabulary, we need to think a little about what a word is. The concept of word is complex, however, our team tried to organize, in a summarized way, some relevant points about the definition of word:
→ it is a phonic sequence that is relatively stably associated with a meaning or set of meanings;
→ it is a phonic sequence that is relatively stably associated with a set of syntactic properties;
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→ it is a phonic sequence that is relatively stably associated with a set of morphological properties;
→ it is a phonic sequence that is relatively stably associated with a set of usage determinations.
We can see, from this characterization, that a striking presence is the reference to the idea of meaning, function (syntactic, in this case) and use - which also refers to the function of a given element. With this in mind, it is important to emphasize that the word is a unit that works with the representation of what makes up the scenario in which we are inserted, configuring meaning and organization to the man's world.
Still in this perspective, it is worth noting that, since the relationships and evolution of human beings are diversified and in constant transformation, the values of the words are not absolute, and it is impossible to prevent the emergence of new ones. words.
Well, it's already clear that there is a difference between lexicon and vocabulary, now here's a tip to expand your vocabulary and, consequently, know even more the lexicon of the Portuguese language: read a lot and, when you come across words you don't know or a term that has different meanings, look for the dictionary. This lexical collection warehouse is one of the best tools for you to keep improving your ability to express yourself clearly.
by Mariana Pacheco
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PACHECO, Mariana do Carmo. "Is there a difference between vocabulary and lexicon?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/ha-diferenca-entre-vocabulario-lexico.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
