This document provides information about different word formation processes. It begins by defining word formation as the creation of new words. It then discusses 9 main types of word formation: 1) affixation, 2) coinage, 3) backformation, 4) borrowing, 5) conversion, 6) compounding, 7) acronym, 8) blending, and 9) clipping. For each type, it provides definitions and examples to illustrate how new words are created using these processes. The document concludes by restating the 9 word formation types.

1. 2016
Nazish Jamali
B.Ed (Hons)
5/30/2016
Word Formation Processes

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Assignment
Subject: English Content-1
Topic: Word Formation Processes
Presented by: Nazish Jamali
Batch: 2016
Semester: 01
Submission Date: 30-05-2016

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Table of contents
Topics Page No.
Objectives ……………………………………………………. 03
Word formation processes …………………………… 04
What is word formation? ……………………………… 04
How to generate new words…………………………. 04
Types of word formation………………………………. 04
1. Affixation……………………………………………… 05
a) What is Suffixation? …………………………………. 05
b) What is prefixation? …………………………………. 07
2. Coinage………………………………………………… 09
3. Backformation……………………………………… 10
4. Borrowing……………………………………………. 11
5. Conversion…………………………………………… 12
6. Compounding………………………………………13
7. Acronym…………………………………………….. 14
8. Blending……………………………………………… 15
9. Clipping………………………………………………. 17
Conclusion…………………………………………………… 18
Reference

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Objectives
After this lesson student will be able to know
 Word formation processes
 How to generate new words
 Word formation processes types
1. Affixation with vocabulary words
2. Coinage with vocabulary words
3. Backformation with vocabulary words
4. Borrowing with vocabulary words
5. Conversion with vocabulary words
6. Compounding with vocabulary words
7. Acronym with vocabulary words
8. Blending with vocabulary words
9. Clipping with vocabulary words

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Process of word formation
What is word formation?
The word formation is the creation of a new word. Word formation is sometimes
compared with semantic change and it is a change in a single word’s meaning.
The limit between word formation and semantic change can be difficult to define
a new use of an old word can be seen as a new word derived from an old one.
Or in other words we say word formation is process of create new words by
existing elements of language according to certain patterns and rules.
How to generate new words
New words can be formed by adding affixes to existing words or by using existing
words to create blend words and compound words
Types of word formation
1. Affixation 2. Coinage
3. Backformation 4. Borrowing
5. Conversion 6. Compounding
7. Acronym 8. Blending
9. Clipping

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1.Affixation
Affixation is the morphological process whereby an affix is attached to a root word.
The function of affixation is that, the adding an established prefix or a suffix to the
existing base. Affixation is the most common way of making new words in
English. The two primary kinds of affixation are prefixation (the addition of
a prefix) and suffixation (the addition of a suffix).
What is Suffixation?
In English grammar, a suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a
word or root (i.e., a base form), helping to form a new word or functioning as
an inflectional ending. Adjective: suffixal.
A suffix usually changes not only the lexical meaning of a word but also
grammatical meaning or its word class. As some words shown in Table.
Example:
bake: bake+r = baker
Beauty: beauty+ful = beautiful
SUFFIX EXAMPLE
NOUN SUFFIXES
-acy democracy, accuracy, lunacy
-al remedial, denial, trial, criminal
-ance, -ence nuisance, ambience, tolerance
-dom freedom, stardom, boredom
-er, -or reader, creator, interpreter, inventor, collaborator
-ism Judaism, scepticism, escapism
-ist Geologist, protagonist, sexist, scientist, theorist,
communist
-ity, -ty extremity, validity, enormity

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-ment enchantment, argument
-ness heaviness, highness, sickness
-ship friendship, hardship, internship
-sion, -tion position, promotion, cohesion
VERB SUFFIXES
-ate mediate, collaborate, create
-en sharpen, strengthen, loosen
-ify, -fy justify, simplify, magnify, satisfy
-ise, -ize publicise, synthesise, hypnotise
ADJECTIVE
SUFFIXES
-able, -ible edible, fallible, incredible, audible
-al fiscal, thermal, herbal, colonial
-esque picturesque, burlesque, grotesque
-ful handful, playful, hopeful, skilful
-ic, -ical psychological, hypocritical, methodical, nonsensical,
musical
-ious, -ous pious, jealous, religious, ridiculous
-ish squeamish, sheepish, childish
-ive inquisitive, informative, attentive
-less meaningless, hopeless, homeless
-y dainty, beauty, airy, jealousy
ADVERB SUFFIXES
-ly softly, slowly, happily, crazily, madly
-ward, -wards towards, afterwards, backwards, inward
-wise otherwise, likewise, clockwise

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What is prefixation?
A prefix is a letter or a group of letters that appears at the beginning of a word
and changes the word’s original meaning. A suffix is a letter or a group of letters
that is usually added onto the end of words, to change the way a word fits into a
sentence grammatically. Or in other words we say a prefix usually changes or
concretizes the lexical meaning of a word and only rarely parts of speech. As
Some words are shown in Table
Example: comprise: com+prise = comprise
Devalue: de+value = devalue
PREFIX EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2
com-,
con-
comprise, connote companion, comrade, community
contra- contraindicate contraceptive, contradict
de- devalue descend
ex- ex-husband exhort
a- amoral apathy, anaemic
in- inconvenient inebriate, indulge
homo- homograph,
homophone
homogeneous
magn- magnate magnificent, magnanimous, magnitude,
magnify
para- paragraph, paramedic paradox
sub- submarine substitute
trans- transnational,
transparent
transmit, transcend
tri- triangle, tripod triceps, triathlon

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PREFIX EXAMPLES
ante- antenatal, anteroom, antedate
anti- antibiotic, antidepressant, antidote
circum- circumstance, circumvent, circumnavigate
co- co-worker, co-pilot, co-operation
de- devalue, defrost, derail, demotivate
dis- disagree, disappear, disintegrate, disapprove
em-, en- embrace, encode, embed, enclose, engulf
epi- epicentre, episcope, epidermis
ex- ex-president, exterminate
extra- extracurricular, extraordinary, extra-terrestrial
fore- forecast, forehead, foresee, foreword, foremost
homo- homosexual, homonuclear, homoplastic
hyper- hyperactive, hyperventilate
il-, im-, in-, ir- impossible, illegal, irresponsible, indefinite
im-, in- insert, import, inside
infra- infrastructure, infrared, infrasonic, infraspecific
inter-, intra- interact, intermediate, intergalactic, intranet
macro- macroeconomics, macromolecule
micro- microscope, microbiology, microfilm, microwave
mid- midfielder, midway, midsummer
mis- misinterpret, misfire, mistake, misunderstand
mono- monotone, monobrow, monolithic
non- nonsense, nonentity, nondescript
omni- omnibus, omnivore, omnipotent
para- parachute, paramedic, paradox
post- post-mortem, postpone, post-natal
pre- prefix, predetermine, pre-intermediate
re- return, rediscover, reiterate, reunite
semi- semicircle, semi-final, semiconscious
sub- submerge, submarine, sub-category, subtitle
super- superfood, superstar, supernatural, superimpose
therm- thermometer, thermostat, thermodynamic
trans- transport, transnational, transatlantic
tri- triangle, tripod, tricycle
un- unfinished, unfriendly, undone, unknown

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2.Coinage
Coinage is the word formation process in which a new word is created either
consciously or accidentally without using the other word formation processes and
often from apparently nothing. As neologism or coinage, we classify the word
formation process of inventing completely new words (neology). Also coinage
refers to extension of a name of a product from a specific reference to a more
general one such as LG, Nokia and Kodak etc.
And in some cases, the meaning of these words is broadened. Example,
complicated chemical or technical terms (like Aspirin: acetylsalicylic acid) are
adopted as the trademark term and often replace standard terms for e.g. in this
example, painkillers. This also happened to words like Xerox,Kleenex or the
German Nutella.
The following list of words provides some common coinages found in
everyday English:
Aspirin Escalator Heroin Band-aid
Factoid Frisbee Google Kerosene
Kleenex Laundromat Linoleum Muggle
Nylon Psychedelic Quark Xerox
Zipper
Notice that many coinages start out as brand names for everyday items such as
Kleenex for a facial tissue.

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3.Backformation
Back-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. For example, the following list provides
examples of some common back-formations in English
Original Back-formation
babysitter babysit
donation donate
hazy haze
moonlighter moonlight
obsessive obsess
procession process
resurrection resurrect
sassy sass
television televise
Back-formation is often the result of an overgeneralization of derivation suffixes.
For 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. Back-formation, therefore, is the
opposite of derivation.
English Back-Formations Vocabulary List
accrete from accretion bibliograph from bibliography back-form from back-formation
adsorb from adsorption donate from donation emote from emotion
beg from beggar gamble from gambler proliferate from proliferation
edit from editor injure from injury opine from opinion
notate from notation handwrite from handwriting sorb from sorption
orate from oration evaluate from evaluation presentate from presentation

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4. Borrowing
Borrowing is the word formation process in which a word from one language is
borrowed directly into another language.
For example, the following common English words are borrowed from foreign
languages:
 algebra – Arabic
 philosophy – Greek
 cherub – Hebrew
 chow mein – Chinese
 fjord – Norwegian
 pizza – Italian
 yo-yo – Tagalog
 galore – Irish
 haiku – Japanese
 kielbasa – Polish
 murder – French
 near – Sanskrit
 bagel – Yiddish
 paprika – Hungarian
 smorgasbord – Swedish
 tamale – Spanish
Borrowed words are also referred to as loanwords.

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5. Conversion
Conversion is the word formation process in which a
word of one grammatical form becomes a word of
another grammatical form without any changes to
spelling or pronunciation. For example, the noun
email appeared in English before the verb: a decade ago
I would have sent you an email (noun) where as now I
can either send you an email (noun) or simply email
(verb) you. The original noun email experienced conversion, thus resulting in the
new verb email. Conversion is also referred to as zero derivation or null derivation
with the assumption that the formal change between words results in the
addition of an invisible morpheme. However, many linguistics argue for a clear
distinction between the word formation processes of derivation and conversion.
Noun to Verb Conversion and Verb to Noun
The following list provides examples of verbs converted from nouns and nouns
converted from verbs.
Nouns Verbs and Verb Noun
access
bottle
can
closet
email
eye
fiddle
fool
Google
host
knife
microwave
name
pocket
salt
shape
ship
spear
To access
To bottle
To can
To closet
To email
To eye
To fiddle
To fool
To Google
To host
To knife
To microwave
To name
To pocket
To salt
To shape
To ship
To spear
to alert
to attack
to call
to clone
to command
to cover
to cry
to experience
to fear
to feel
to hope
to increase
to judge
to laugh
to rise
to run
to sleep
to start
alert
attack
call
clone
command
cover
cry
experience
fear
feel
hope
increase
judge
laugh
rise
run
sleep
start

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6. Compounding
Compounding is the process of putting words together to build a new one that
''does not denote two things, but one'' and that is ''pronounced as one unit.
A compound word contains at least two bases which are both words ,or at any
rate, root morphemes.
For Example:
(Tea) + ( pot ) = teapot ( noun + noun)
(Hair) + (dress) + er => hairdresser (noun + verb )
(Blue) + (bird) = bluebird (adjective + noun)
(Over) + (lord) = overlord ( preposition + noun )
OR
Compounding is the word formation process in which two or more lexemes
combine into a single new word. Compound words may be written as one word or
as two words joined with a hyphen.
Other example:
 noun-noun compound: note + book = notebook
 adjective-noun compound: blue + berry = blueberry
 verb-noun compound: work + room = workroom
 noun-verb compound: breast + feed = breastfeed
 verb-verb compound: stir + fry = stir-fry
 adjective-verb compound: high + light = highlight
 verb-preposition compound: break + up = breakup
 preposition-verb compound: out + run = outrun
 adjective-adjective compound: bitter + sweet = bittersweet
 preposition-preposition compound: in + to = into
Compounds may be compositional, meaning that the meaning of the new word is
determined by combining the meanings of the parts, or non-compositional,
meaning that the meaning of the new word cannot be determined by combining

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the meanings of the parts. For example, a blueberry is a berry that is blue.
However, a breakup is not a relationship that was severed into pieces in an
upward direction.
Compound nouns should not be confused with nouns modified by adjectives,
verbs, and other nouns. For example, the adjective black of the noun phrase black
bird is different from the adjective 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 black bird also refers to
any bird that is black in color while a blackbird is a specific type of bird.
7. Acronyms
Acronyms are words formed by the word formation process in which an initialism
is pronounced as a word. For example, HIV is an initialism for Human
Immunodeficiency Virus that is spoken as the three letters H-I-V.
However, AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome that is
spoken as the word aids.
Other examples of acronyms in English include:
 ASAP – as soon as possible
 AWOL – absent without leave
 laser - light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
 NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
 NASDAQ - National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
 PIN – personal identification number
 radar - radio detection and ranging
 scuba - self-contained underwater breathing apparatus
 TESOL – Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
 WASP – White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
Acronyms are related to the word formation process of abbreviation.

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8. Blending
A blending is a combination of two or more words to create a new one, usually by
taking the beginning of the other word and the end of the other one.
So new words like
spork (spoon + fork),
fanzine (fan + magazine),
bromance (brother + romance) or
Spanglish (Spanish + English) are created.
There are of course other ways to create a blending:
for example, you can take both beginnings of a word
(cybernetic + organism = cyborg) or take a whole word and combine it with a part
of another one (guess + estimate = guesstimate).
Another example of combining words, in this case names, is the bleding of
celebrity couple names, such as
Brangelina (Brad + Angelina) or Bennifer (Ben + Jennifer).
There are two different words with completely unequal meanings put together to
form a new word with a new meaning.
Examples and Observations:
motel (motorway hotel)
brunch (breakfast lunch fridge (freezer refrigerator)
smog (smoke fog)
stagflation (stagnation and inflation)
spork (spoon and fork)
carjacking (car and hijacking)
mocktail(mock and cocktail with no alcohol)
splog (spam and blog)
alcopop (alcohol + pop)
bash (bat + mash)
biopic (biography + picture)
Breathalyzer (breath + analyzer)
camcorder (camera + recorder)
chexting (cheating + texting)
clash (clap + crash)
cosmeceutical (cosmetic + pharmaceutical)
docudrama (documentary+ drama)

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faction (fact + fiction)
electrocute (electricity + execute)
fanzine (fan + magazine)
emoticon (emote + icon)
flare (flame + glare)
glimmer (gleam + shimmer)
Globish (global + English)
guitarthritis (guitar + arthritis)
infotainment (information + entertainment)
moped (motor + pedal)
palimony (pal + alimony
pornacopia (pornography + cornucopia)
pulsar (pulse + quasar
sitcom (situation + comedy)
slanguage (slang + language)
smash (smack + mash)
sportscast (sports + broadcast)
stagflation (stagnation + inflation)
staycation (stay home + vacation)
telegenic (television + photogenic)
textpectation (text message + expectation)
workaholic (work + alcoholic).

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9. Clipping
Clipping is the word formation process in which a word is reduced or shortened
without changing the meaning of the word. Clipping differs from back-formation
in that the new word retains the meaning of the original word. For example:
 advertisement – ad
 alligator – gator
 examination – exam
 gasoline – gas
 gymnasium – gym
 influenza – flu
 laboratory – lab
 mathematics – math
 memorandum – memo
 photograph – photo
 public house – pub
 raccoon – coon
 reputation – rep
 situation comedy – sitcom
 telephone – phone
The four types of clipping are
1. back clipping
2. fore-clipping
3. middle clipping
4. complex clipping
Back clipping is removing the end of a word as in gas from gasoline.
Fore-clipping is removing the beginning of a word as in gator from alligator.
Middle clipping is retaining only the middle of a word as in flu from influenza.
Complex clipping is removing multiple parts from multiple words as
in sitcom from situation comedy.

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Conclusion
As we have seen before, there are many ways to create new words: Borrowing
from other languages, blending together from several words we already have. Of
course there are even more possibilities than mentioned before. There is the
possibility to convert words from one grammatical category to another,
for example from verb to noun (to flow => the flow) or from noun to verb
(the e-mail => to e-mail). Other examples for other word formation
processes include clippings, with which the word is shortened
(e.g. influenza => flu; advertising => ad; motorbike => bike), or folk etymology,
where words from other languages are taken and then, over time, people try to
make sense of them. So slowly but surely the word is changed to a more familiar
form that usually keeps its original meaning, e.g. the Spanish word cucaracha was
borrowed and then gradually transformed to cockroach. Even the creative
respelling, where the spelling of words is changed for products (e.g. Kleen,
Krunch), is considered to be one of these processes. So finally, if we take a look
around, we will see a mass of new words surrounding us, brought to us both
consciously by language trends or advertising and unconsciously through
language change over time.

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Reference
1. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/wordtypes.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_formation
3. http://www.slideshare.net/furrakhabbas/processes-of-word-formation
4. http://vlearn.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/wordformation/word-formation-processes/
5. http://www.really-learn-english.com/word-formation-processes.html
6. http://www.translationdirectory.com/articles/article1991.php
7. http://www.kau.edu.sa/Files/0008867/Subjects/8714_5Word%20Formatio
n%20Processes.pdf
8. http://killmonotony.net/written/wfp.pdf
9. https://abuzaidalbadri.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/wordprocesspaper.pd
f
10.http://www.slideshare.net/lalitaggarwalstiff/word-formation-process
11. http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam041/2003048479.pdf