WORD FORMATION PROCESSES
ACADEMIC STUDIES OF
WORD-FORMATION
"Following years of complete or partial neglect of issues concerning word formation (by which we mean primarily derivation, compounding, and conversion), the year 1960 marked a revival--some might even say a resurrection--of this important field of linguistic study. While written in completely different theoretical frameworks (structuralist vs. transformationalist), both Marchand's Categories and Types of Present-Day English Word-Formation in Europe and Lee's Grammar of English Nominalizations instigated systematic research in the field. As a result, a large number of seminal works emerged over the next decades, make the scope of word-formation research broader and deeper, thus contributing to better understanding of this exciting area of human language."
(Pavol Štekauer and Rochelle Lieber, preface to Handbook of Word-Formation. Springer, 2005)
“Recent voices stressing the importance of investigating word formation in the light of cognitive processes can be interpreted from two general perspectives. First of all, they indicate that a structural approach to the architecture of words and a cognitive view are not incompatible. On the contrary, both perspectives try to work out regularities in language. What sets them apart is the basic vision of how language is encapsulated in the mind and the ensuing choice of terminology in the description of the processes. Cognitive linguistics concedes closely to the self-organizing nature of humans and their language, whereas generative-structuralist perspectives represent external boundaries as given in the institutionalized order of human interaction."
(Alexander Onysko and Sascha Michel, "Introduction: Unravelling the Cognitive in Word Formation." Cognitive Perspectives on Word Formation. Walter de Gruyter, 2010)
Types of formation
processes
The technical terms
used to describe those processes and identify examples currently in use that
are the results of those processes are presented below.
1.
Coinage
- One of the least common processes of word
formation in English is coinage, from the word coin (verb) that means to
create. It is the creation or invention of totally new terms, without
employing any other word or word parts that have already been in
existence. The mostly originated from invented trade names or from the
appearance of new technological product. Such are the words: aspirin
- escalator
- heroin
- band-aid
- factoid
- Frisbee
- Google
- kerosene
- Kleenex
- Laundromat
- linoleum
- muggle
- nylon
- psychedelic
- quark
- Xerox
- zipper
2.
Acronym
These
words are formed by taking the initial sounds (or letter or letters) of the
word or phrase and writing those into a combination that is itself
pronounceable as separate word. These acronyms often consist of capital
letters, but can lose their capitals to become every day terms. It is also
important to note that even though such words are originally created as acronyms,
speakers immediately forget such origins and the acronyms become independent
word.
The
following are the examples of acronyms:
1.
NATO : Noth Artlantatic Treaty
Organization
2.
ILO : International Labor
Organization
3.
WHO : Word Health Organization
4.
Radar : Radio Detecting and
Ranging
5.
ASAP :as soon as
possible
6.
AWOL : absent without
leave
7.
laser : light
amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
8.
NASA : National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
9.
NASDAQ : National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
10. PIN :personal
identification number
11. scuba :self-contained
underwater breathing apparatus
12. TESOL : Teachers of
English to Speakers of Other Languages
13. WASP :White
Anglo-Saxon Protestant
15. EAL :English as an additional
language
17. EFL :English as a foreign
language
19. ELF : English as a lingua
franca,
a common language that is not the mother tongue of any of the participants in a
discussion
20. ELL : English language learner
21. ELT : English language teaching
22. ESL : English as a second
language
23. ESOL :English for speakers of
other languages
24. ESP : English for specific purposes, or English for special
purposes (e.g. technical English, scientific English, English for medical
professionals, English for waiters)
25. EST : English for science and
technology (e.g. technical English, scientific English)
27. TESL : Teaching English as a
second language
28. TESOL : Teaching English to
speakers of other languages, or Teaching English as a second or other language.
29. TYLE : Teaching Young Learners
English. Note that "Young Learners" can mean under 18, or much
younger.
Other abbreviations
- BULATS - Business Language Testing Services, a
computer-based test of business English, produced by CambridgeEsol. The
test also exists for French, German, and Spanish.
- CELT - Certificate in English Language
Teaching, certified by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
(ACELS).
- CELTA - Certificate in English Language Teaching
to Adults
- CELTYL - Certificate in English Language
Teaching to Young Learners
- Delta - Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages
- ECPE - Examination for the Certificate of
Proficiency in English
- IELTS - International English Language Testing
System
- LTE - London Tests of English by Pearson Language Tests
- OLTE- Online Language Teacher Education
- TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language
- TOEIC - Test of English for International
Communication
- UCLES - University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, an exam
board
3.
Blending
Blend
is a combination of the part of two words. To blend is to make commune two
things. However, blending is typically accomplished by taking only from part of
one word and joining it with the back part of another word.
The
following are the examples of blending:
1.
Gasohol :gasoline – alcohol
2.
Smog :smoke – fog
3.
Bruch : Breakfast – lunch
4.
Afterthoughtful :
(afterthought + thoughtful)
5.
agitprop :(agitation
+ propaganda)
6.
alcopop :(alcohol
+ pop)
7.
WiFi :(wireless +
fidelity)
8.
bash :(bat
+ mash)
9.
blog :(web + log)
10. Breathalyzer :(breath
+ analyzer)
11. brunch :(breakfast
+ lunch)
12. camcorder :(camera
+ recorder)
13. clash :(clap
+ crash)
14. docudrama :(documentary
+ drama)
15. electrocute :(electricity
+ execute)
16. emoticon :(emote
+ icon)
17. faction :(fact
+ fiction)
18. fanzine :(fan
+ magazine)
19. flare :(flame
+ glare)
20. flirtationship :(flirting
+ relationship)
21. glimmer :(gleam
+ shimmer)
22. guitarthritis :(guitar
+ arthritis)
23. infotainment :(information
+ entertainment)
24. Jazzercize :(jazz
+ exercise)
25. moped :(motor +
pedal)
26. motel :(motor
+ hotel)
27. motorcade :(motor
+ cavalcade)
28. palimony :(pal
+ alimony)
29. pornacopia :(pornography
+ cornucopia)
30. pulsar :(pulse
+ quasar)
31. sexcapade :(sex
+ escapade)
4.
Conversion
A new
word may be created simply by converting the part of speech to another one
without changing the front of the word. Other labels for this very common
process are “category change” and “functional shift”. A number of nouns such as
the word paper, butter, vocation, can, through processes of conversion,
come to be used us verb. Observe the following sentences.
a.
He is papering the
bedroom walls.
b.
Have you buttered the
toast?
c.
They are vacationing in
France.
Conclusion
As we have seen before, there are many ways to
create new words. 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 and unconsciously through language nchange over time Language
changes constantly. And who knows if the people will understand the language we
are using now in a few decades?
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