Which term denotes the vocabulary of a language, as opposed to its grammar?

Which term denotes the vocabulary of a language, as opposed to its grammar?

• A. Lexis
• B. Syntax
• C. Morphology
• D. Phonology

Answer: (A)

The key idea is the distinction between what a language’s words are and how those words are used in sentences. The term for the actual inventory of words and fixed expressions a language has is lexis. Lexis covers all the vocabulary items you know and use, including idioms and collocations.

This sits in contrast to other aspects: syntax is the rules for how words are arranged to form sentences, morphology is how words are formed from smaller units (prefixes, suffixes, inflections), and phonology is the system of sounds and their patterns. So when we talk about the vocabulary of a language, the appropriate term is lexis.