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Lexicon
In most theories of linguistics, human languages are thought to consist of two parts: a lexicon, essentially a catalogue of a given language's words (its wordstock), and a grammar, a system of rules which allow for the combination of those words into meaningful sentences. The lexicon is also thought to include bound morphemes, which cannot stand alone as words (such as most affixes). In some analyses, compound words and certain classes of idiomatic expressions and other collocations are also considered to be part of the lexicon. Dictionaries represent attempts at listing, in alphabetical order, the lexicon of a given language; usually, however, bound morphemes are not included.
More formally, a lexicon is a language's inventory of lexemes. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the Greek λεξικ?ν (lexicon), neuter of λεξικ?ς (lexikos), "of or for words",[1] from λ?ξις (lexis), "speech", "word",[2] and that from λ?γω (lego), "to say", "to speak".[3] Read more > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexicon
Dictionary
- book of word meanings: a reference book that contains alphabetically ordered words, with explanations of their meanings, often with information about grammar, pronunciation, and etymology
- foreign-language reference book of words: a reference book that alphabetically arranges and translates words and phrases in two or more languages
- specialized reference book: a reference book that alphabetizes and explains terms relating to a subject or topic http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/search?q=define+dictionary&qpvt=define+dictionary&FORM=DTPDIA
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