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Word Formation Processes Explained

There are several processes by which new words are formed in languages. These include coinage, where new terms are invented to describe changing cultures; borrowing words from other languages to expand vocabulary; compounding, where two words are combined; and blending, where parts of different words are combined. Other processes include clipping words for brevity, backformation of verbs from nouns, changing word categories through conversion, forming acronyms, using sounds in onomatopoeia, translating phrases literally through calque, and adding affixes like prefixes and suffixes.

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540 views1 page

Word Formation Processes Explained

There are several processes by which new words are formed in languages. These include coinage, where new terms are invented to describe changing cultures; borrowing words from other languages to expand vocabulary; compounding, where two words are combined; and blending, where parts of different words are combined. Other processes include clipping words for brevity, backformation of verbs from nouns, changing word categories through conversion, forming acronyms, using sounds in onomatopoeia, translating phrases literally through calque, and adding affixes like prefixes and suffixes.

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kokondos
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Words are formed through different types of word formation processes. The first process is through coinage.

Coinage or neologism is the invention of new terms which happens in cultures that are drastically changing. This is often done because of the speedy distribution of information through mediums such as the mass media and the internet. One of the examples of a coinage word is jeans, which is derived from Genoa, Italy, where the cloth was first made. Another example is mailbomb, which means deliberately disrupting a computer system by bombarding it with emails. The second process is through borrowing. The English language borrowed a lot of words from other language to expand its vocabulary. For example, the word amuck is borrowed from the Malay language. Another example is abattoir, which is borrowed from the French language. The third process is compounding. In this process, two separate words are combined together to create a single word. For example, hand + bag = handbag. The fourth process is blending. Blending is easily confused with compounding but it is a different process. In blending, the first part of one word is combined together with the last part of another different word. For example, brother + romance = bromance. Another example is, simultaneous + cast = simulcast. The fifth process is clipping. In this process, a word with a lot of syllables is shortened. For example, facsimile = fax, fanatic = fan, and influenza = flu. The sixth process is backformation. In this process, nouns are reduced to be formed into verbs. For example, television = televise, donation = donate, and option = opt. The seventh process is conversion. In this process, the category of the words is changed without using any derivation. For example, noun to verb = chair, bottle; verb to noun = guess; verb to adjective = see through; adjective to verb = empty; adjective to noun = the poor; shift of stress which changes verb to noun = presnt to prsent. The eighth process is acronyms. Words are formed from the initials of a set of words. For example, scuba = Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Aparatus. The ninth process id onomatopoeia. Words are created through the sounds that they represent. For example, buzz, hiss, splash, sizzle and hush. The tenth process is calque. Calque is the word-for-word translation of a phrase borrowed from another language. For example, Spanish to English = perros calientes dog hot = hot dog. The last process is derivation where words are formed by affixes. For example, prefixes: unusual, mislead; suffixes: careless, childish; prefix and suffix: disloyalty.

Words are formed through different types of word formation processes. The first process is through coinage. Coinage or n

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