It's difficult to calculate accurately. But we can compare dictionaries.
Oxford
English Dictionary (OED)
The OED
defines
615,100 words.
Of these words, 41,700 are obsolete. This means that
you are unlikely to use them.
There are even 240 ghost words. A ghost word has
never existed outside dictionaries.
What is a word?
This is a surprisingly complex question
The OED distinguishes 430 senses for the verb set. Is each a separate word?
And what about numbers? If you count to a million, do you have a million words?
This is a surprisingly complex question
The OED distinguishes 430 senses for the verb set. Is each a separate word?
And what about numbers? If you count to a million, do you have a million words?
Dictionary Size
The OED defines 615,100 words.
◦ A similar German dictionary offers around 180,000 words.
◦ A Russian language dictionary has around 160,000 words
◦ A French edition has less than 150,000.
This suggests English probably has the biggest vocabulary of all the European languages.
The OED defines 615,100 words.
◦ A similar German dictionary offers around 180,000 words.
◦ A Russian language dictionary has around 160,000 words
◦ A French edition has less than 150,000.
This suggests English probably has the biggest vocabulary of all the European languages.
- Why do many English words come from other languages?
- How has English evolved?
- Irregular Verbs
- A Perfect language?
ESL Reading is edited by
Kieran
McGovern and has links with Extensive Reading,
the British Council and many other organisations
promoting language learning through reading.
More about ESL Reading here.
