Topical Vocabulary

a language

a tongue

first (native) language                            second language                    

mother tongue                                        foreign language

                                                                                                 

widespread                                                easy
                                                                  difficult

Features of a language

• vocabulary

terms and phrases

to guess a meaning of a word

• grammar

complicated tense system

many rules

many exceptions to any rule

terrible prepositions

• pronunciation
• spelling
• purpose of study (cultural, professional)

English varieties

formal                       spoken             British                  

informal                    written             American

scientific                 general (everyday)

literary                   special (specific,restricted)