Many curious persons interested in answer to the seemingly simple question: "How many words in the English language or any other?".Of course, many are trying to answer it, and another thing, that the ideas expressed in this regard are quite different.And there are several explanations.
Firstly, the English language, as well as any other existing, changes over time: new words or terms, and which, on the contrary, are forgotten.For example, many remember from school terrible modal verb «shall», which sacrificed so hard immature minds of children.The paradox is that this was done in vain, as it has already lost its meaning, and it happened far today.An exception can only be considered separate areas of language use.
Second, you can count the words included in the dictionary of general vocabulary or specialized, such as medical subjects.It is understood that the difference in numbers is in this case enormous.
Thirdly, the mass of words of the English language is not one, but multiple values, for example, «bow».It can act as a verb (to nod, to bend, to bend) and a noun (arc, bow, bow).How to count in this case - it is unclear.You can take it for a language unit, and can be summarized as the number of its values.Complicating the situation and what has been referred to the word in combination with other piggy bank replenishes its interpretations.Such examples are many.
thus reliably determine the number of words in the English language, it is impossible.The average figure ranges from five hundred thousand to several million.Considerable variation of such, I must say.Additionally, you can recall the numerous dialects and dialects, which did not simplify the calculation.
This statistic is certainly interesting, but even more exciting looks like the question: "How many words in the English language is actively used?" Actually this is for those who have just begun to study it, and for those who have met him alreadyfor a long time.
English for dummies: what to learn - words or grammar?
Until now, a lot of teachers, especially the old school, convince their students that knowledge of the language requires daily weight cramming words.In practice, if you go this route, you can remember a lot of information, but its use is unlikely.Similarly, you can learn so-called passive language, which is very useful when reading the literature, but no more.Correctly speak, knowing only the words, it will not turn.
looks much more attractive method, according to which you need to master a few hundred words to learn English.For tourists, for example, will be sufficient storing five hundred words, but so for them to play would not have to make any effort, that is, that it happens automatically.It is more important to master simple grammatical structures, such as the order of words in the affirmative and interrogative sentence, verb tenses, and so on.Masterfully owning them, and even having a small vocabulary, you can communicate freely enough.
In general, the question of how many words in the English language, can be answered quite differently.In colloquial vocabulary used is not more than half a million units.Collection of dictionaries, including medical, technical, legal terminology can total several million words.
