Lexis (AQA A-Level English Language): Revision Notes

Lexis

What is lexis?

Lexis refers to the vocabulary used in written texts and spoken language. It encompasses individual words, phrases and idiomatic expressions that make up our language. When analysing lexis, you're examining the specific word choices a writer or speaker makes and considering why those particular words have been selected.

Key features of lexis

Choice of lexis types

The type of vocabulary selected in a text can tell us a great deal about the speaker or writer, their purpose and their relationship with the audience. Different lexical choices include:

Specialist vocabulary and jargon - These are technical terms specific to particular fields or professions. For example, medical professionals might use terms like hypertension instead of "high blood pressure", whilst legal documents contain specific terminology understood primarily by those working in law.

Dialect words - Regional vocabulary items that vary across different geographical areas. These words reveal where a speaker comes from and can create a sense of local identity or belonging.

Slang expressions - Informal, often playful language typically used among specific social groups. Slang evolves rapidly and can be generational, with youth slang differing significantly from expressions used by older generations.

Colloquialisms - Everyday, conversational expressions that are informal but widely understood. These create a casual, friendly tone in communication.

Swearing and taboo terms - Words considered offensive or inappropriate in formal contexts. Their use can signal informality, strong emotion or deliberate transgression of social norms.

Clichés - Overused expressions that have lost their original impact through repetition. Writers might use these to create familiarity or deliberately avoid them to seem more original.

Euphemisms - Indirect or mild expressions used to replace words considered harsh or unpleasant. For instance, saying "passed away" instead of "died" softens the emotional impact.

Dysphemisms - The opposite of euphemisms, these are deliberately harsh or unpleasant ways of referring to something. They can be used for shock value or to express negative attitudes.

Archaisms - Old-fashioned words or expressions that are no longer in common use. Writers might deliberately employ these to create a sense of tradition, formality or historical setting.

Formality levels and education indicators

Lexical choices often indicate the level of formality in a text and can suggest the education level of the speaker or writer. These choices exist on a spectrum:

Formal and elevated vocabulary includes literate, sophisticated and Latinate terms. These polysyllabic words (words with multiple syllables) are typically associated with writing rather than speech and suggest a high level of education. Academic writing, legal documents and formal speeches tend to use this register.

Informal and everyday vocabulary comprises simple, vernacular and monosyllabic terms (single-syllable words). This type of vocabulary dominates casual conversation and creates an accessible, approachable tone. It's characteristic of spoken language rather than formal writing.

The concept of the lexeme

A lexeme is the base or root form of a word, before any grammatical changes are applied. Recognising lexemes helps you understand word families and analyse patterns in vocabulary use.

Types of word formation

English creates new words through various processes, and identifying these can be useful in your analysis:

Compounds are formed by joining two or more words together, such as blackboard or greenhouse. They create new meanings from familiar components.

Shortenings involve reducing longer words to create abbreviated forms, like phone from telephone or exam from examination.

Abbreviations shorten phrases by using initial letters or syllables, such as Dr for Doctor.

Acronyms are abbreviations pronounced as words, like NATO or laser, which have often become so established that people forget their original full forms.

Neologisms are newly coined words or expressions that have entered the language relatively recently, often in response to technological or social changes.

Blends combine parts of two words to create a new term, such as brunch (breakfast + lunch) or smog (smoke + fog).

Loan words are borrowed from other languages and adopted into English, like café from French or kindergarten from German.

Recurring lexis from lexical fields

A lexical field (also called a semantic field) is a group of words related by meaning that belong to the same area of experience or topic. When analysing texts, look for clusters of words from particular lexical fields, as these reveal the text's subject matter and preoccupations.

Repeated use of vocabulary from specific lexical fields creates cohesion in texts and reinforces key themes or topics.

Collocations

Collocations are words that frequently appear together in language. Some are predictable and common, whilst others are unusual or deviant.

Common collocations are expected combinations that sound natural to native speakers, such as strong coffee, make a decision or heavy rain. These create fluency and naturalness in language use.

Uncommon or deviant collocations are unexpected word combinations that might be used for creative or stylistic effect. A poet might write "powerful coffee" instead of "strong coffee" to create a particular impression.

Figurative language

Figurative language involves using words in non-literal ways to create particular effects. Key types include:

Metaphor - An implicit comparison where something is described as if it were something else, such as "time is money" or "her words were daggers".

Simile - An explicit comparison using "like" or "as", for example, "as brave as a lion" or "fights like cat and dog".

Pun - A play on words that exploits multiple meanings or similar sounds for humorous or rhetorical effect.

Hyperbole - Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect, such as "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse".

Personification - Giving human characteristics to non-human things, like "the wind whispered through the trees".

Metonymy - Referring to something by naming a part of it or something closely associated with it, such as using "the crown" to mean the monarchy.

Oxymoron - Combining contradictory terms to create a particular effect, like deafening silence or bittersweet.

Understanding lexical categories

When analysing vocabulary, it's helpful to categorise words according to their social and contextual use. Different contexts and audiences demand different types of lexis:

Formal vocabulary is appropriate for official, professional or academic contexts. It maintains social distance and conveys seriousness or respect.

Technical vocabulary belongs to specialist fields and demonstrates expertise or insider knowledge within particular domains.

Informal vocabulary creates a casual, relaxed tone suitable for friendly interactions and personal communication.

Colloquial expressions are conversational and region-specific, often creating warmth and familiarity between speakers.

Impolite vocabulary includes words considered rude or offensive, which might be used to shock, express strong emotion or demonstrate closeness in informal contexts.

Slang encompasses informal, often group-specific vocabulary that can signal belonging to particular social groups. This includes:

• Youth slang used by younger generations
• Older people's slang used by older age groups
• Posh slang associated with upper-class speech

Taboo vocabulary consists of words considered highly offensive or inappropriate in most contexts, often related to bodily functions, sexuality or religion.

Dialect and regional vocabulary reveals geographical origins and creates local identity.

Old-fashioned vocabulary includes archaic terms no longer in common use, which might be employed deliberately for effect.

Exam tips

When analysing lexis in your exam responses, you need to move beyond simple identification to sophisticated analysis that demonstrates your understanding of language effects and contexts.

Building a glossary of lexical terms and examples will help you recognise these features quickly in exam texts. Start with specialist terms like jargon and expand your knowledge to include all the features discussed above. The more familiar you are with these concepts, the more confident you'll feel identifying and analysing them under exam conditions.

Remember!