How New Words Are Made

New Words
English Language

Creation
How are new words are made?
Acronyms
Compounds
Blends
Word Coinage
Clippings
Borrowing

Acronyms
What is an acronym?
What are some examples?

Acronyms
Made from all or most of the letter in a name or phrase; e.g QANTAS, ANZAC.
Radar
radio detecting and ranging apparatus
Scuba
self contained underwater breathing apparatus

Acronyms and Initialisms
Why are abbreviations such as “HMSO” or “GPS” not acronyms?
Because they are not said as words.

Acronyms or Initialism?
BRB
NASA
CSIRO
RAM
DSL
DVD
TV

Blends
Some new words are a blend of two older words.
They take a part from two or more words and blend them together.
Can you think of some examples?

Blends
Brunch
= breakfast + lunch
Motel
= motor car + hotel
Sitcom
= situation + comedy
Telecast
= television + broadcast
Breathalyser
= breath analyser

Clippings
New words come from part of an existing word.
These are more commonly found in informal writing and speech.
In formal writing, the longer form continues to used.
Can you think of some examples?

Clippings
Professor
Prof
Laboratory
Lab
Telephone
Phone
Mathematics
Maths
Pianoforte
Piano

More Clippings
Advertisement
Ad
Bicycle
Bike
Gymnasium
Gym

Compounds
Compound words are made when two existing words are joined.
Can you think of any examples?

Compounds: Noun + Noun
Noun + Noun = New Noun
Girlfriend
Girl+Friend
Landlord
Land+Lord
Rainbow
Rain+bow
Postman
Post+man

Compounds: Adjective + Adjective
Adjective+Adjective=?
New adjective
Red+hot
Red-hot
Bitter+sweet
Bittersweet

Compound: Noun+Adjective
head+strong
Headstrong
Life+long
Lifelong
Noun+adjective=?
New adjective

Compound: Verb+Noun
Dare+Devil
Daredevil
Pick+Pocket
Pickpocket
Verb+Noun=?
New noun

Compound or Blend?
iMac
Facebook
Chillax
Floordrobe

Word Coinage
Words are created to cater for new inventions, products or services.
Nylon
Polyester
Internet
Lycra
Can you think of some more?

Word Coinage
Coinage also occurs when brand names are used as normal words.
Coke
Kleenex
Windex
Can you think of some more?

Borrowing
Words that originate in other languages are said to have been “borrowed” by English.

What language did these words come from?
Landscape
Uproar
Knapsack
Brandy
Roster
Easel
From which language?
Dutch

Tornado
Alligator
Mosquito
Comrade
Guitar
Esplanade
Spanish

What language does this word come from?
Ombudsman
Norwegian

Pioneer
Liaison
Reservoir
Police
Chef
French

Tempo
Forte
Pasta
Crescendo
Italian

How were these words made?
Webinar
Fanboy
Frenemy
Webisode
Missalette
Waterboarding
Goji

References
This pack was based on the pack called “Morphology” that Mr Atherton gave to me.

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http://hthienglish.pbworks.com	3
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http://www.proxya.ru	1
http://www.alevelenglang.blogspot.com	1
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How New Words Are Made

by Mark O'Meara on Jan 14, 2010

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