Word Formation

Word Formation

Processes

Lizanne Arias 00238220

BORROWING

LOAN TRANSLATION

"Calque"

Taking a word from another language.

Direct translation of elements of a word.

One of most common source for new words in English.

Examples:

Masterpiece - Meisterstück (German)By heart - Par Cœeur (French)Rainforest - Regenwald (German)

Examples: Wanderlust - German Pizza - Italian Tonado - Spanish

COMPOUNDING

BLENDING

Example: Chillax - chill + relax Spork - spoon + fork Bollywood - Bombay + Hollywood

Uniting two separate words to produce a new single term. Two Ways: 1. Taking the beggining of one word and mixing it to the end of the other. 2. Taking the beginning of both words.

Putting two words together to form a new one.

Example: Sunflower - sun + flower Doghouse - dog + house Earthquake - earth + quake Handshake - hand + shake

TYPES OF REDUCTION

CLIPPING

HYPCORISMS:

Long words are reduced to a single syllable and a "y" or "ie" is added at the end.

Reducing a word of more than one syllable to a shorter form.

Examples: Doggie - Dog Ciggy - Cigarette

BACKFORMATION:

Examples: Exam - Examination Pro - Professional Uni - University

A word is reduced to form another word of another type. Usually a noun is transformed into a verb.

Examples: Curate (verb) - Curator (noun) Enthuse (verb) - Enthusiasm (noun)

CONVERSION

A change in the function of a word. However the meaning can also shift. "Category Change"

For example:

• Verb to noun
• Verb to adjective
• Adjective to verb

Examples: To name (verb) - Name (noun) To email (verb) - Email (noun) To increase (verb) - Increase (noun)

COINAGE

ACRONYMS:

Formation of new terms. The source is usually a product that becomes a general term for any version of that product. EPONYMS: New words based on the name of a person.

Type of coinage. New words are formed by uniting the initial lettters of a set of words. Some words are pronounced by saying each separate letter and others as a single word.

Examples: Frisbee Band-aid Fahrenheit - Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit

Examples: AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ASAP - As Soon As Possible

DERIVATION

Examples

Affixes. Types: 1. PREFIXES Affixes that are added to the beginning of a word. 2. SUFFIXES Affixes added to the end of a word. 3. INFIXES Affixes added to the inside of a word. (Not very common in Englsih.)

Prefixes: Preschool - pre Misunderstand - mis • Undo - un

Suffixes: Homeless - less Strangely - ly Wonderful - ful

Infixes: Absobloodylutely

MULTIPLES PROCCESS

Example: Internet 1. Compounding the words "inter" + "network" To form: Internetwork 2. Clipping the word to "internet"

When words undergo more than one process in order to create a new word.