The document discusses different methods of word formation in the English language including derivation, back-formation, compounding, blending, clipping, acronyms, and conversion. Derivation involves adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words to create new words, while back-formation removes affixes. Compounding joins two existing words together, and blending merges parts of two words. Clipping takes part of a word to form a new, related word. Acronyms use the initial letters of words or phrases. Conversion changes the word class of a word without changing the spelling or form.

1. The Concept of word formation
Choice of words is a reflection of
personality

2. Types of word formation
1. Derivation(Affixation)
2. Back-formation
3. Compounding
4. Blending
5. Clipping
6. Acronym
7. Conversion

3. Derivation
• Derivation (also known as affixation) is the process
of creating a new word by simply adding a prefix or
suffix to an existing word.
Eg:
• dis- disadvantage
• mis- misbehave
• -ness kindness
• -ful- beautiful
• -ism- capitalism
• -less- speechless

4. Back-formation
• Back-formation is the opposite of affixation: new words are
created by removing a prefix or (more commonly) a suffix
from an existing word.
Eg:
• Hawker- hawk
• Editor- edit
• Transmission- transmit
• Television-televise
• Donation-donate
• Choreography- choreograph
• Articulation-articulate
• Gambler-gamble
• Enthusiasm-enthuse

5. Compounding
• Compounding creates words by simply joining two
existing words.
Eg:
• Fire + place= fireplace
• Cup + cake=cupcake
• Rail + Road=Railroad
• Snow + ball= snowball
• White + board=whiteboard
• Super + hero=superhero
• Tooth + paste= toothpaste
• White + board=whiteboard
• Foot + ball= football

6. Blending
• One of the most beloved of the word formation processes in
English
• Two words are taken and merged based on sound structure
• The resulting words are called ‘Blends’
Eg:
• motor + hotel – motel
• Camera + recorder – camcorder
• Gleam + shimmer – glimmer
• Work + alcoholic – workaholic
• Biography + picture – biopic
• Documentary + drama - docudrama

7. clipping
• One part of the word is ‘clipped’ off the root
• The remaining word means essentially the same thing as
the whole word means
Eg:
• laboratory - Lab
• gymnasium -Gym
• examination-Exam
• public house- Pub
• examination -Exam
• gasoline-Gas
• pop music –Pop
• microphone- Mike

8. Acronyms
• Initial letters of a phrase
Eg:
• ROFL – Rolling On Floor Laughing
• FYI – For your Information
• WIP – Work in Progress
• ZIP- Zone Improvement Plan

9. Conversions
• Give me some water please.
• The children water the plants every morning.
• They exchanged addresses and agreed to keep in
touch.
• She addressed the open-air meeting.
• I take a walk around the block every evening.
• He can easily walk to the shop.
• He planned his departure with great care.
• He has numerous animals to care for.

10. Affixes
• Prefixes
• Suffixes

11. Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Examples
• Ante before antenatal, anteroom
• Anti against antibiotic, antidote
• Circum around circumvent, circumnavigate
• Co with co-pilot, co-operate
• De off devalue, derail
• Dis not disagree, disapprove
• Em,en put into embrace, encode
• Epi close to epicentre, epidermis
• Ex former exterminate, ex-president
• Extra beyond extra- terrestrial
• Fore before forecast, foresee
• Homo same homonuclear, homoplastic

12. Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example
• Hyper over hyperactive, hyperventilate
• Im, il, in, ir not impossible, illegal
• Infra below infrastructure, infrared
• Inter between interact, intermediate
• Macro large macroeconomics
• Micro small microphone, microscope
• Mid middle midfielder
• Mis wrongly misinterpret, misfire
• Mono one monotone, monolithic
• Non not nonsense, nonentity
• Omni all omnibus, omniverse
• Para beside paramedic, parachute