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San Pedro Technological Institute: MS.

CELESTIAL

Word Formation

Word Formation Word formation is the process of creating new words. The following word formation processes result in the creation of new words in English:

Derivation Derivation is the word formation process in which a derivational affix attaches to the base form of a word to create a new word. Affixes, which include prefixes and suffixes, are bound morphemes. Morphemes are the smallest linguistic unit of a language with semantic meaning. ound morphemes, unli!e free morphemes, cannot stand alone but must attach to another morpheme such as a word. "or example, the following two lists provide examples of some common prefixes and suffixes with definitions in English: Prefixes a# $ without, not co# $ together de# $ opposite, negative, removal, separation dis# $opposite, negative en# $ cause to be ex# $ former, previous, from in# $ negative, not re# $ again, repeatedl% un# $ negative, not, opposite, reversal Suffixes #able $ sense of being #er $ agent #ful $ characteri&ed b% #f% $ ma!e, become, cause to be #ism $ action or practice, state or condition #less $ lac! of #l% $ #li!e #olog% $ stud%, science #ship $ condition, character, s!ill #% $ characteri&ed b%, inclination, condition

non# $ absence, not Derivation ma% result in new words of the same grammatical form, e.g., noun to noun, or of different grammatical forms, e.g., verb to noun. "or example: Grammatical Form Retaining eri!ation verb to verb: appear ' disappear noun to noun: friend ' friendship ad(ective to ad(ective: practical ' impractical Grammatical Form C"anging eri!ation verb to noun: preserve ' preservation verb to ad(ective: bore ' boring noun to verb: code ' codif% noun to ad(ective: nature ' natural ad(ective to noun: ugl% ' ugliness ad(ective to verb: sweet ' sweeten

ad(ective to adverb: )uic! ' )uic!l% *ote that, although both processes involve the affixation of suffixes, derivation differs from inflection in that inflection results in the creation of a new form of the same word rather than a new word. "or example, the addition of the third person singular -s inflectional suffix to verbs creates the third person singular form of verbs, e.g., eat and eats, and the addition of the plural -s inflectional suffix to nouns creates the plural form of nouns, e.g., dog and dogs. oth eats and dogs are new forms of the same word, eat and dog, rather than new words. Back-Formation ac!#formation is the word formation process in which an actual or supposed derivational affix detaches from the base form of a word to create a new word. "or example, the following list provides examples of some common bac!#formations in English: #riginal $ %ac&'formation bab%sitter $ bab%sit donation $ donate gambler $ gamble moonlighter $ moonlight obsessive $ obsess procession $ process sass% $ sass television $ televise

ha&% $ ha&e resurrection $ resurrect ac!#formation is often the result of an overgenerali&ation of derivation suffixes. "or example, the noun back-formation entered the English lexicon first, but the assumption that the -(at)ion on the end of the word is the -ion derivational suffix results in the creation of the verb back-form. ac!#formation, therefore, is the opposite of derivation. Conversion +onversion is the word formation process in which a word of one grammatical form becomes a word of another grammatical form without an% changes to spelling or pronunciation. "or example, the noun email appeared in English before the verb: a decade ago , would have sent %ou an email -noun. whereas now , can either send %ou an email -noun. or simpl% email -verb. %ou. The original nounemail experienced conversion, thus resulting in the new verb email. +onversion is also referred to as &ero derivation or null derivation with the assumption that the formal change between words results in the addition of an invisible morpheme. /owever, man% linguistics argue for a clear distinction between the word formation processes of derivation and conversion. English I

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San Pedro Technological Institute: MS. CELESTIAL

Word Formation

Noun to Ver Conversion The most productive form of conversion in English is noun to verb conversion. The following list provides examples of verbs converted from nouns: (oun $ )er* access $ to access bottle $ to bottle can $ to can closet $ to closet email $ to email e%e $ to e%e fool $ to fool 3oogle $ to google host $ to host !nife $ to !nife microwave $ to microwave name $ to name salt $ to salt shape $ to shape ship $ to ship spear $ to spear torch $ to torch verb $ to verb

fiddle $ to fiddle poc!et $ to poc!et "or example: M% grandmother bottled -verb. the (uice and canned -verb. the pic!les. M% grandmother put the (uice in a bottle -noun. and the pic!les in a can -noun.. 4he microwaved -verb. her lunch. 4he heated her lunch in the microwave -noun..

The doctor e%ed -verb. m% swollen e%e -noun.. *oun to verb conversion is also referred to as verbification or verbing, as humorousl% discussed b% +alvin and /obbes. Ver to Noun Conversion Another productive form of conversion in English is verb to noun conversion. The following list provides examples of nouns converted from verbs: )er* $ (oun to alert $ alert to attac! $ attac! to call $ call to clone $ clone to command $ command to cover $ cover to experience $ experience to fear $ fear to feel $ feel to hope $ hope to increase $ increase to (udge $ (udge to rise $ rise to run $ run to sleep $ sleep to start $ start to turn $ turn to visit $ visit

to cr% $ cr% to laugh $ laugh "or example: The guard alerted -verb. the general to the attac! -noun.. The enem% attac!ed -verb. before an alert -noun. could be sounded. 4ometimes one (ust needs a good cr% -noun.. The bab% cried -verb. all night.

We need to increase -verb. our productivit% to see an increase -noun. in profits. 5erb to noun conversion is also referred to as nominali&ation. !ther Conversions +onversion also occurs, although less fre)uentl%, to and from other grammatical forms. "or example: ad(ective to verb: green ' to green -to ma!e environmentall% friendl%. preposition to noun: up, down ' the ups and downs of life con(unction to noun: if, and, but ' no ifs, ands, or buts inter(ection to noun: ho ho ho ' , love the ho ho hos of +hristmastime.

Com"ounding +ompounding is the word formation process in which two or more lexemes combine into a single new word. +ompound words ma% be written as one word or as two words (oined with a h%phen. "or example: noun#noun compound: note 6 boo! ' noteboo! ad(ective#noun compound: blue 6 berr% ' blueberr% verb#noun compound: wor! 6 room ' wor!room noun#verb compound: breast 6 feed ' breastfeed verb#verb compound: stir 6 fr% ' stir#fr% ad(ective#verb compound: high 6 light ' highlight verb#preposition compound: brea! 6 up ' brea!up preposition#verb compound: out 6 run ' outrun

English I

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San Pedro Technological Institute: MS. CELESTIAL ad(ective#ad(ective compound: bitter 6 sweet ' bittersweet

Word Formation

preposition#preposition compound: in 6 to ' into +ompounds ma% be compositional, meaning that the meaning of the new word is determined b% combining the meanings of the parts, or non#compositional, meaning that the meaning of the new word cannot be determined b% combining the meanings of the parts. "or example, a blueberry is a berr% that is blue. /owever, a breakup is not a relationship that was severed into pieces in an upward direction. +ompound nouns should not be confused with nouns modified b% ad(ectives, verbs, and other nouns. "or example, the ad(ective black of the noun phrase black bird is different than the ad(ective black of the compound noun blackbird in that black of black bird functions as a noun phrase modifier while the black of blackbird is an inseparable part of the noun: a blac! bird also refers to an% bird that is blac! in color while a blac!bird is a specific t%pe of bird. Cli""ing +lipping is the word formation process in which a word is reduced or shortened without changing the meaning of the word. +lipping differs from bac!#formation in that the new word retains the meaning of the original word. "or example: advertisement $ ad influen&a $ flu public house $ pub alligator $ gator examination $ exam gasoline $ gas laborator% $ lab mathematics $ math memorandum $ memo raccoon $ coon reputation $ rep situation comed% $ sitcom

g%mnasium $ g%m photograph $ photo telephone $ phone The four t%pes of clipping are bac! clipping, fore#clipping, middle clipping, and complex clipping. ac! clipping is removing the end of a word as in gas from gasoline. "ore#clipping is removing the beginning of a word as in gator from alligator. Middle clipping is retaining onl% the middle of a word as in flu from influenza. +omplex clipping is removing multiple parts from multiple words as insitcom from situation comedy. Blending lending is the word formation process in which parts of two or more words combine to create a new word whose meaning is often a combination of the original words. "or example: advertisement 6 guess 6 estimate ' smo!e 6 fog ' smog entertainment ' guesstimate 4panish 6 English ' advertainment ha&ardous 6 material ' 4panglish biographical 6 picture ' ha&mat spoon 6 for! ' spor! biopic motor 6 hotel ' motel telephone 6 marathon ' brea!fast 6 lunch ' brunch prim 6 siss% ' priss% telethon chuc!le 6 snort ' chortle c%bernetic 6 organism ' c%borg lended words are also referred to as portmanteaus. simultaneous 6 broadcast ' simulcast web 6 seminar ' webinar

# reviations Abbreviation is the word formation process in which a word or phrase is shortened. ,ntialisms are a t%pe of abbreviation formed b% the initial letters of a word or phrase. Although abbreviation is largel% a convention of written language, sometimes abbreviations carr% over into spo!en language. "or example: Written A**re!iations Apr. $ April cm $ centimeter-s. d. $ died, died in dept. $ department Dr. $ doctor 8r. $ 8unior Mr. $ Mister o& $ ounce-s. 4un. $ 4unda% %d $ %ard-s. A.M. $ ante meridiem 9in the morning: .+.E. $ efore +ommon Era 3;0 $ 3rand ;ld 0art% -<epublican 0art%. /,5 $ /uman ,mmunodeficienc% 5irus i.e. $ id est 9that is: 8"= $ 8ohn "it&gerald =enned% ;8 $ orange (uice 0M4 $ premenstrual s%ndrome <450 $ r>ponde& s?il vous plait 5,0 $ ver% important person

S+o&en'Written A**re!iations Abbreviation is related to both the word formation processes of clipping and blending. #cron$ms Acron%ms are words formed b% the word formation process in which an initialism is pronounced as a word. "or example, HIV is an initialism for /uman ,mmunodeficienc% 5irus that is spo!en as the three letters /#,#5. /owever, AIDS is an acron%m for Ac)uired ,mmunodeficienc% 4%ndrome that is spo!en as the word aids. ;ther examples of acron%ms in English include: A4A0 $ as soon as possible AW;@ $ absent without leave

English I

0age A of 2

San Pedro Technological Institute: MS. CELESTIAL laser # light amplification b% stimulated emission of radiation *A4A $ *ational Aeronautics and 4pace Administration *A4DAB # *ational Association of 4ecurities Dealers Automated Buotations 0,* $ personal identification number radar # radio detection and ranging scuba # self#contained underwater breathing apparatus TE4;@ $ Teachers of English to 4pea!ers of ;ther @anguages

Word Formation

WA40 $ White Anglo#4axon 0rotestant Acron%ms are related to the word formation process of abbreviation. %"on$ms Epon%ms are a word form b% the word formation process in which a new word is formed from the name of a real of fictitious person. "or example: atlas $ Atlas mirandi&e $ Ernesto A. Miranda bo%cott $ +harles +. o%cott cardigan $ 8ames Thomas rudnell, Cth Earl of +ardigan cereal $ +eres dunce $ 8ohn Duns 4cotus guillotine $ 8oseph ,gnace 3uillotin (acu&&i $ +andido 8acu&&i luddite $ *ed @udd malapropism $ Mrs. Malaprop mesmeri&e $ "ran& Anton Mesmer narcissistic $ *arcissus nicotine $ 8ean *icot pasteuri&ation $ @ouis 0asteur poinsettia $ *oel <oberts 0oinsett praline $ +>sar de +hoiseul, +ount 0lessis$0raslin sadistic $ Mar)uis de 4ade salmonella $ Daniel Elmer 4almon sandwich $ 8ohn Montagu, Dth Earl of 4andwich volcano $ 5ulcan

+reating new words in English, covers the related word formation processes of coinages, nonce words, borrowing, and cal)uing. Coinages +oinage is the word formation process in which a new word is created either deliberatel% or accidentall% without using the other word formation processes and often from seemingl% nothing. "or example, the following list of words provides some common coinages found in ever%da% English: o o o o o o aspirin escalator heroin band#aid factoid "risbee o o o o o o 3oogle !erosene =leenex @aundromat linoleum muggle o o o o o n%lon ps%chedelic )uar! Eerox &ipper

*otice that man% coinages start out as brand names for ever%da% items such as Kleene for a facial tissue. +oinages are also referred to simpl% as neologisms, the word neologism meaning Fnew word.F (once Words *once words are new words formed through an% number of word formation processes with the resulting word meeting a lexical need that is not expected to recur. *once words are created for the nonce, the term for t!e nonce meaning Ffor a single occasion.F "or example, the follow list of words provides some nonce words with definitions as identified in the " ford #nglis! Dictionary. o o o o o cotton#wool $ to stuff or close -the ears. with cotton#wool. (abberwoc! $ The name of the fabulous monster in @ewis +arroll?s poem $abber%ocky. /ence in allusive and extended uses, especiall% Fincoherent or nonsensical expression.F 4o (abberwoc!% is invented language, meaningless language, nonsensical behaviorG also nonsensical, meaningless, tops%#turv%. touch#me#not#ishness $ having a Ftouch#me#notF characterG stand#off#ish. twi#thought $ an indistinct or vague thought. witchcraftical $ The practices of a witch or witchesG the exercise of supernatural power supposed to be possessed b% persons in league with the devil or evil spirits. 0ower or influence li!e that of a magicianG bewitching or fascinating attraction or charm.

*ote that although most nonce words come in and out of use ver% )uic!l%, some nonce words catch on and become ever%da% words. "or example, @ewis +arroll coined the word c!ortle, a blend of c!uckle and snort, for the poem $abber%ocky in the boo! &!roug! t!e English I

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San Pedro Technological Institute: MS. CELESTIAL

Word Formation

'ooking-(lass and )!at Alice *ound &!ereG unli!e most nonce words, however, c!ortle has gained acceptance as a legitimate blended word. %orro,ing orrowing is the word formation process in which a word from one language is borrowed directl% into another language. "or example, the following common English words are borrowed from foreign languages: o o o o +hinese o f(ord $ *orwegian algebra $ Arabic bagel $ Hiddish cherub $ /ebrew chow mein $ o o o o o galore $ ,rish hai!u $ 8apanese !ielbasa $ 0olish murder $ "rench near $ 4ans!rit o o o 4wedish o o tamale $ 4panish %o#%o $ Tagalog papri!a $ /ungarian pi&&a $ ,talian smorgasbord $

orrowed words are also referred to as loanwords. Cal-uing +al)uing is the word formation process in which a borrowed word or phrase is translated from one language to another. "or example, the following common English words are cal)ued from foreign languages: o o o o o beer garden $ 3erman $ iergarten blue#blood $ 4panish $ sangre a&ul commonplace $ @atin $ locus commInis flea mar!et $ "rench $ march> aux puces free verse $ "rench $ vers libre o o o o o loanword $ 3erman $ @ehnwort long time no see $ +hinese $ hJo (iK bu (iLn pineapple $ Dutch $ pi(nappel scapegoat $ /ebrew $ e& o&el wisdom tooth $ @atin $ dMns sapientiae

+al)ues are also referred to as root#for#root or word#for#word translations.

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