Bridging the Lexical Overlap for Disambiguation of Meaning in English Language: An Empirical Lexicographic Study

Abstract

As a lingua franca of the world, English language has a high degree of lexical ambiguity based on homophones, homographs, and homonyms, thus offering cognitive, pedagogical, and academic problems. This inquiry puts forward a regulated system of lexical reform proposing to incorporate etymological tracing, phonological distinctiveness, morphological transparency, semantic distinctiveness, borrow-ability and pedagogical evident-ness to systematically eliminate lexical ambiguity. The history of the English language shows that it has been developed through the continuous introduction of new words, which is testified by Shakespeare, Milton, Dickens, and Carroll. Suggested lexical replacements, such as using script instead of write, plumb instead of metal lead, and rive instead of river bank, attest to the ability of guided reform to reduce cognitive load, facilitate the learning of English, better access to lexis, and academic accuracy. This study is an icebreaker on the subject as it highlights the theoretical rationale as well as practical benefits of lexicographically informed language modernization.

Keywords: Lexicon, lexical ambiguity, lexicography, neologism, language modernization homophones, homographs, homonyms.