b An interrelated group of non-verbal symbols, signs, gestures, etc. used for communication or expression in particular art, skill, etc.
5
Hatch and Brown define vocabulary as a list or set of words for a particular language or a list or set of words that individual speakers of language
might use.
6
According to D Houghton, the vocabulary, the main innovation, was presented after the students had begun to make regular use of a text book. Though
the entries are constructed on linguistic principles, the main intention of the vocabulary is to give students help in understanding the most basic accounting
terms, ideas and practices.
7
From the statements above, the writer concludes that vocabulary is one of the most important aspects of communication especially in foreign using words in
a language with rules combining them to make up a language. Also, vocabulary is a list or a stock of words, phrases, signs, codes or rules of the world, which can be
defined and identified.
2. Kinds of Vocabulary
Vocabulary has large area to discuss, especially in term of kinds. Whatever their nations the point are still same.
According to Gorell and Laird, Almost everyone has at least four basic vocabularies. First, he uses a relatively small number of words which may be
called as the speaking vocabulary . It includes words which come to the speaker’s
tongue without his thinking much about them. A dull person is likely to use only a
5
Meriam Webster’s Ninth new collegiate dictionary., America: Meriam Webster’s, inc.1984,p.1494
6
Evelyn Hatch and Cheryl Brown, Vocabulary, Semantic and language Education, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,1995, p.1
7
Ellyzabeth Smyth, ELT 106 Team Teaching in ESP London: British Council , 1980 ,p. 27
few hundred words in this way; even a moderately articulate speakers uses only a few thousand.
8
Every literate person has a second vocabulary, a writing vocabulary, which includes the words in the speaking vocabulary, plus other words that he can
call up. A good writer may employ a vocabulary of ten thousand, twenty-five thousand, and perhaps fifty thousand words. A poor writer, on the other hand, may
suffer from a vocabulary little larger than his speaking vocabulary.
9
Every literate person has also a reading vocabulary, make up of words that he would not speak in conversation or use when he writes but which he knows
when he sees him or her written. For most people the reading vocabulary is much larger than either the speaking or writing vocabulary- fifty thousand, seventy-five
thousand, a hundred thousand words perhaps more.
10
The fourth vocabulary, the largest of all, may refer to as the acquaintance vocabulary. It includes the other three, but it includes, also a considerable number
of words which the owner has seen or heard before but does not know much about. He may remember enough about them so that he can usually guess their
meaning in context; he has a nodding acquaintance with the words, not much more. Vocabularies of this sort, of course, can be very large, often much larger
than the reading vocabulary.
11
Ruth Gairn and Stuart Redman, decided the characteristics of the words, vocabulary divided into two kinds; they are active vocabulary and passive
vocabulary.
12
a Active Vocabulary Active vocabulary refers to items which learner can use appropriately in
speaking or writing. And it is also called as productive vocabulary, although in fact, it is more difficult to put into practice.
8
Gorell and Laird, Modern English Handbook, third Edition, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall 1962, p.413
9
Ibid….p.413
10
Ibid….p.413
11
Ibid…,p.413
12
Ruth Gairns and Stuart Redman, Working with Words A Guide to Teaching and Learning Vocabulary Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,1986,p.65
