3. Word Formation
This is the process of forming words and explains how a certain word came to be.
Differentiated from the process of semantic change (relating to meaning in
language ) where the old and modern meanings of a word may be totally
different.
4.
5. Derivation vs. Compounding
Derivation Compounding
Affixations play a vital
role
It is joining two
separate words
It derives new words
from prefixes and
affixes
No affixes is needed in
this process
English affixations consist of only Prefixes &
Suffixes
6. Prefix
It is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning and make a
new word
Suffix
It is added to the end of a word to change its function, making it into a
different part of speech
Prefix vs. Suffix
7. Prefixes
A letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its
meaning
U-n and r-e (or re-) are the two most common prefixes in the English
language. Re- means "again" or "back," such as in the words "rethink" "redo"
and "repay."
Un + happy = unhappy
Im + possible = impossible
8.
9.
10. Suffixes
A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word. Suffixes are
commonly used to show the part of speech of a word. For example, adding
"ion" to the verb "act" gives us "action," the noun form of the word. Suffixes
also tell us the verb tense of words or whether the words are plural or
singular.
Some common suffixes are -er, -s, -es, -ed, -ing and -ly.
11.
12.
13. Coinage
It is the invention of new words
Most typical sources are invented trade
names for commercial products that
have become part of the language.
Examples:
14. Eponyms
It is generating new words based on the
name of a person or a place
Examples:
1)The word “sandwich” is from the 18th century
Earl of Sandwich who first insisted on having
his bread and meat together while gambling
2)The word “jeans” which is derived from the
Italian city of Genoa where the type of cloth
was first made
15. Compounding
Compounding is the word formation process in which two or more lexemes
combine into a single new word.
The second part is usually a general element and the first part makes it
particular
Appletree – is a tree that bears the specific fruit apple.
Steamboat – is a boat that runs on steam
Notebook – is a book in which you jot down notes
Blueberry – is a berry that is blue.
17. Blending
Blending 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.
Motor + hotel = motel which is a hotel where you can park your motor car.
19. Clipping
Creating new words by shortening already
existing words
Examples: information → info
advertisement → ad
facsimile → fax
refrigerator → fridge
20. Acronyms &
Initialisms
It is when the first letters of words that make
up a name or a phrase are used to create a
new word
In acronyms, the new word is pronounced as
a word, rather than as a series of letters
In initialisms, the new word is pronounced
as a series of letters
Examples: NATO, CIA, HIV, ATM, PIN, ID,
radar, laser, Interpol, etc.
21. Back-Formation
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.
A very specialized type of reduction process
It is due to misconceptions of morphological analysis
babysitter – babysit
donation – donate
gambler – gamble
hazy – haze
moonlighter – moonlight
obsessive – obsess
procession – process
resurrection – resurrect
sassy – sass
television – televise
22. A change in the function of a word, as for example when
a noun comes to be used as a verb (without any
reduction)
Examples:
Someone has to chair the meeting.
Goggles are a must for skiing while it’s snowing.
Conversion
23. There are many different ways in which words are formed in
English.
These were just a few examples.
This is an interesting area of study that can not only make
one’s understanding of the language more extensive but also
widen one’s vocabulary.
