Word Formation Processes

Marijana Draga, lecturer

What is word formation?

In linguistics, word formation is the creation of a new word.

Making new words

Coining: the creation of a completely new word googol nerd jerk Adoption of brand names kleenex aspirin xerox band aid

googol [goo-gawl, -gol, -guhl] Show IPA noun a number that is equal to 1 followed by 100 zeros and expressed as 10 100 . Origin: 193540; introduced by U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner (18781955), whose nine-year-old nephew allegedly invented it Can be confused: goggle, Google, googol. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/googol

Onomatopoeia: the creation of new words based on the sounds made by the things to which they refer cuckoo buzz hiss meow chirp creak

Completely new words

Borrowing: this is the result of language contact. It produces loan words (foreign words that become English words). There are loan words from very early, but also recent ones coming from different languages.
glasnost, perestroika karaoke, sushi kindergarten, kaput, delicatessen, hamburger bagel, kosher taco, tortilla, patio dj vu, cuisine, faux pas Russian Japanese German Yiddish Spanish French

Affixation: this process consists on the addition of a derivational affix (prefix or suffix) to an existing root. writer (write + er) kingdom (king + dom) undo (un + do)

Clipping: this process consists on the abbreviation of a long word demonstration demo typographical error typo facsimile fax professional pro mathematics math

Blending: the combination of two different words into one by deleting part of the two words before uniting them. breakfast + lunch brunch smoke + fog smog web + log blog motor + hotel motel

Reduplication: this process creates a new word by repeating the same root sometimes with some change in the second form. itsy-bitsy hanky-panky so-so mish-mash

Acronyms: this process forms words from the initials of a group of words that designate one concept. Acronyms may differ in spelling and pronunciation. National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIDS self-contained underwater breathing apparatus scuba National Basketball Association NBA

Back-formation: this process is the opposite to the process of affixation. With affixation we create a new word by adding an affix; with back-formation we create a new word by erasing an affix. editor edit backformation backform resurrection resurrect self-destruction self-destruct

CONVERSION
Conversion: this process is also known as zero-derivation. This process changes the part of speech and meaning of an existing root without producing any change in pronunciation or spelling and without adding any affix. I need someone to come to the blackboard. Is there a volunteer? Someone has to volunteer. Otherwise, I will volunteer someone.

 Conversion: this process is also known as zero-derivation. This process changes the part of speech and meaning of an existing root without producing any change in pronunciation or spelling and without adding any affix. I need someone to come to the blackboard. Is there a volunteer? Someone has to volunteer. Otherwise, I will volunteer someone.

From Name to Verb Harpo to Harpo Houdini to Houdini From Adjective to Verb dirty to dirty slow to slow From Preposition to Verb out to out

In some cases, conversion is accompanied by a change in the stress pattern known as stress shift. transprt (V) trnsport (N) rewrte (V) rwrite (N) condct (V) cnduct (N) subjct (V) sbject (N)

COMPOUNDING
Compounding is a very productive word formation process in English. Compounding creates a new word, called a compound, by combining two or more words. A compound is a word made out of free forms. These words may themselves be simple (a single morpheme) or complex (formed by more than one morpheme). blackboard (black + board) red hot (red + hot) typewriter (type + write-er) mother-in-law (mother + in + law)

COMPOUND NOUNS
Noun + Noun wallpaper football ice-cream Adjective + Noun blackboard highway fast-food Verb + Noun breakwater crash pad kill joy Preposition + Noun downtown underworld afternoon

Compound Adjectives
Verb + Noun
breakwater crash pad kill joy

Verb + Adjective (rare)

fail safe

Preposition + Noun
downtown underworld afternoon

Preposition + Adjective
over-ripe underfull overactive

Compound Verbs
Noun + Verb browbeat carbon date color code Adjective + Verb double-book softland Verb + Verb freeze dry stir-fry Preposition + Verb over-achieve outperform undercut

WORD FORMATION WHAT KIND OF WORDS ARE THE BOLD ONES? 1.There are advertisements for the job in all local newspapers 2.If you want to sell your house, why don't you advertise it on the internet? 3.George Clooney looks so attractive!! 4.The announcement of their divorce surprised everyone 5.She has been actively involved in many human rights campaigns 6.You must wait for the confirmation letter before paying the bill 7.Come on! Think logically and don't make a fuss about it! 8.Obama is the most popular politician in the world 9.A lot of people say they aren't interested in politics 10.African American is more politically correct than black

REFERENCES
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.as p?id=2996 www.quickmeme.com

www.kau.edu.sa/.../48869_Words%20and%20Word.