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 goo·gol [goo-gawl, -gol, -guhl] Show IPA noun a number that is equal to 1 followed by 100 zeros and expressed as 10 100 . Origin: 1935–40; introduced by U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner (1878–1955), 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 Russian
karaoke, sushi Japanese kindergarten, kaput, German delicatessen, hamburger bagel, kosher Yiddish taco, tortilla, patio Spanish déjà vu, cuisine, faux pas 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 Reduplication: this process combination of two creates a new word by different words into repeating the same root one by deleting part of sometimes with some change the two words before in the second form. uniting them. itsy-bitsy breakfast + lunch hanky-panky brunch so-so smoke + fog smog mish-mash web + log blog motor + hotel motel 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 • From Name to Verb known as zero-derivation. This process changes the part of Harpo to Harpo speech and meaning of an existing root without producing Houdini to Houdini any change in pronunciation or • From Adjective to Verb spelling and without adding any affix. dirty to dirty I need someone to come to the slow to slow blackboard. • From Preposition to Verb Is there a volunteer? Someone has to volunteer. out to out Otherwise, I will volunteer someone. In some cases, conversion is accompanied by a change in the stress pattern known as stress shift. transpórt (V) tránsport (N) rewríte (V) réwrite (N) condúct (V) cónduct (N) subjéct (V) súbject (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 • Verb + Noun wallpaper breakwater football crash pad ice-cream kill joy • Adjective + Noun • Preposition + Noun blackboard downtown highway underworld fast-food afternoon Compound Adjectives • Verb + Noun • Verb + Adjective (rare) breakwater fail safe crash pad • Preposition + kill joy Adjective • Preposition + Noun over-ripe downtown underfull underworld overactive afternoon Compound Verbs • Noun + Verb • Verb + Verb browbeat freeze dry carbon date stir-fry color code • Preposition + Verb • Adjective + Verb over-achieve double-book outperform softland 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