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Lexical Densiy

Lexical density refers to the ratio of content words to function words in a text, with content words carrying the principal meaning and function words providing grammatical structure. The document outlines the classification of words into major (content) and minor (function) classes, and provides a formula for calculating lexical density. A lexical density of 87.16% is noted as significantly higher than the average of 42%, indicating that the text may be difficult to read.

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5 views12 pages

Lexical Densiy

Lexical density refers to the ratio of content words to function words in a text, with content words carrying the principal meaning and function words providing grammatical structure. The document outlines the classification of words into major (content) and minor (function) classes, and provides a formula for calculating lexical density. A lexical density of 87.16% is noted as significantly higher than the average of 42%, indicating that the text may be difficult to read.

Uploaded by

eve vane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LEXICAL DENSITY

D. Lexical Density- refers to the


number of content and
function words of a text
Lexicon
• Major classes/Content words/Open class: nouns,
verbs, adjectives, adverbs.

• Minor classes/Function words/Closed class:


auxiliary verbs, preposition, pronouns,
determiners, and conjunctions

Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book (2 nd Ed). USA. Heinle & Heinle
Publishers.
FUNCTION WORDS – have
CONTENT WORDS – carry little or no lexical meaning
in a sentence
the principal meaning in - Used to indicate various
a phrase, clause or
functional relationships
sentence - Give the sentence its
correct form or structure

The sly fox ran wildly.


Count the no of function and content words

Style takes its final shape more from (1)

attitudes of mind than from principles of (2)

composition, for an elderly practitioner (3)

once remarked, “Writing is an act of faith, (4)

not a trick of grammar.” (5)


1. Style 2. takes
3. final 4. shape
5. more 6. attitudes
7. mind 8.principles
9. composition 10.elderly
11. practitioner 12. once
13. remarked 14. Writing
15. act 16. faith
17. trick 18. grammar
18 content words
1. its 2. from
3. of 4. than
5. from 6. of
7. for 8. an
9. is 10. an
11. of 12. not
13. a 14. of

14 function words
Let’s try Lexical Density

Pick a word from the list below. Then,write


two original sentences about it.

Technology

Culture

Research

Organization
D. Formula of Lexical Density-

T-total no. of words in a text


L-content words of text
Lexical density-L/T x 100%
T-51,075
L-44,518
Lexical density-87.16%
Average lexical density- for a written text is 42%

So if the lexical density of the text is 87.16% which is very


much higher than the acceptable percentage,

“What is the impact?”


The text becomes difficult to
read.

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