English Word Formation Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlanga University

Types of Word Formation Compounding Prefixation Suffixation Conversion Clipping Blends Backformation Acronyms Onomatopoeia Eponyms Toponyms

1. Compounding Definition: Two or more words joined together to form a new word. Examples: Home + work  homework Pick + pocket  pickpocket The meaning of a compound is not always the sum of the meanings of its parts. Types of compounds: Compound nouns Compound verbs Compound adjectives

Compound Nouns Boyfriend, hatchback Cut-throat, breakfast Sunshine, birth control Software, fast food In-crowd, overkill Drop-out, put-on Noun + Noun Verb + Noun Noun + Verb Adjective + Noun Particle + Noun Verb + Particle

Compound Verbs Carbon-copy, sky-dive Fine-tune Overbook Bad-mouth Noun + Verb Adjective + Verb Particle + Verb Adjective + Noun

Compound Adjectives Capital-intensive Deaf-mute Coffee-table Roll-neck White-collar Before-tax Go-go Noun + Adjective Adjective + Adjective Noun + Noun Verb + Noun Adjective + Noun Particle + Noun Verb-verb

2. Prefixation Class-changing prefixes: Class-maintaining prefixes: a-  asleep  V to Adj be-  bewitch  N to V en-  enslave  N to V Class-maintaining prefixes: in-  indefinite  Adj to Adj fore-  foreman  N to N Etc.

3. Suffixation Suffixes forming Nouns N from N: -dom  kingdom N from V: -ee  employee N from Adj: -ce  dependence Suffixes forming Verbs V from N: -ify  beautify V from Adj: -en  shorten Suffixes forming adjectives Adj from N: -al  educational Adj from V: -able  understandable Adj from Adj: -ish  greenish Suffixes forming Adverbs: -ly, -ward, and –wise.

4. Conversion Definition: Assigning an already existing word to a new syntactic category. Types of Conversion Verb to Noun: to hit  a hit Adj to N: a final game  a final N to V: a sign  to sign Adj to V: an empty box  to empty

5. Clipping Definition: Shortening a polysyllabic word by deleting one or more syllables Examples: Gasoline  Gas Hamburger  Burger delicatessen  microphone  deli mike

6. Blends Definition: Similar to compounds, but parts of the words are deleted. Examples: Motor + hotel  Motel Breakfast + lunch  Brunch Wireless + Fidelity  Sheep + goat  Wi-fi Shoat

7. Back-formations Definition: Creative reduction due to incorrect morphological analysis. Examples: editor (1649)  edit (1791) television (1907)  televise (1927) Paramedical (1921)  paramedic (1967)

8. Acronyms Definition: Words derived from the initial letters of several words and use them as a new word Examples: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Treats  SWOT Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus  SCUBA

9. Onomatopoeia Definition: Words created to sound like the thing that they name. English Japanese Tagalog Indonesian Cock-a-doo Kokekokko Kuk-kakauk Kukuruyuk Meow Nya Niyaw Meong

10. Eponyms Definition: a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named. Examples: Celcius (Anders Celcius) Cook Islands (James Cook)

11. Toponyms Definition: a place name, especially one derived from a topographical feature. Examples: Montana (‘mountains’ in Spanish) Mississippi (‘big river’ in Chippewa)

Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlanga University That's all... See you next week. Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlanga University