Branches of linguistics. Synchronic vs diachronic approaches to the language study. Lexicology – ‘the science of the word’ Lexicon

According to the parts of speech of the summit constituents, two-summit units are subdivided into:

-attribute-substantive units equivalent to nouns, e.g. black art, couch potato, dark horse, Dutch courage, rough diamond etc.;

-verb-substantive units equivalent to verbs, e.g. to take the floor, to break the ice, to lose one’s heart, not to lift a finger etc.;

-phraseological repetions equivalent to adverbs, e.g. now and never etc.;

-adverbial multi-summit unts, e.g. every other day etc.

The Structural-Semantic Classification

Prof. Alexander V. Kunin Английская фразеология (1970)

-Phraseology is regarded as a self-contained branch of linguistics and not as part of lexicology.

-Phraseology deals with a phraseological subsystem of the language and not with isolated PhU.

-Phraseology is concerned with all types of set expressions.

-Semantically set expressions fall into phraseological units with fully or partially transferred meanings, phraseomatic units with components used in their literal meanings and border-line cases.

-Phraseological and phraseomatic units are not regarded as word-equivalents, but some of them are treated as word correlates.

-Set-expressions are ready-made units not created in speech; they are not elements of individual style but language units; they are characterised by lexical and semantic stability.