Abstract:

Language is a complex system comprising different linguistic layers (strata) of structure. Each stratum is organised in terms of a set of systems and each system deals with an aspect of linguistic structure which has to be stated independently of the structures operating at other strata. Academic courses provided by particular language departments focus prevailingly on individual layers, however, real-life communication is based on the relationships between units operating at different levels between strata. Two of these linguistic strata clearly demonstrating the interfaces on the surface and in depth are the phonological and lexical layers. The submitted paper examines the research results collected from the English Major students studying at the Faculty of Education, Trnava University, Slovakia, who completed both academic courses in phonology and lexicology respectively. The research group were assigned tasks based on pronunciation features in different types of lexical items, e. g. stress in individual words or fixed expressions (i. e. collocations, phrasal verbs etc.), homophonous words, weak words or compounds and on indicating intonation in sentences. The collected data were thoroughly analysed and the results will be presented in the paper. The conclusions drawn during the research will include recommendations concerning the necessity of increasing the students' awareness of the complexity of a particular language system.

Keywords:

Phonological stratum, lexical stratum, the complexity of the language system.