Untitled - Caio - Index of

276Proto-lndo-European Syntax---t K. H. Schmidt "Probleme der Ergativkonstruktion" in MSS 36 1977 p.97-116; F. Villar "Ergativity and animate/inanimate gender in lndo­European" ZVS 97 1984 p. 167-196.V. The Proto-Indo-European LexiconA. General InformationW 100. The most important element of a language is the word, in whichare represented phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical,and stylistic aspects.All words in a language compose the lexicon of that language.Eachparticipant in a community of speakers acquires a more or less large partof the lexicon, and is capable of using these words in a manner consistentwith the common practice of his time.more consequential than a mistaken inflexion.renders comprehension impossible.A mistaken use of a word stem isThe former immediatelyAs a rule, most words are acquired by the child from his immediatefamily, whose members, in turn, have acquired words from their parents.Because ofthis tradition, most words may be traced hack for generations.According to conventional thinking, the lexicon is presumably organizedin the brain according to themes, model phrases, and chains of association.While organization of entries according to letters of the alphabetdoes not correspond to linguistic reality, this concept is practical and effective.A lexicon is not a static quantity. It is, like human life itself, subjectedto ongoing fluctuations. Tt is dependent upon consensus in the community?f speakers. The lexicon is always open to the expression of new meanmgs.On the one hand, new words may be formed analogically, based uponexisting models and elements, cp. for example the Gr. model a()'tAeu