Morphological Processes

in Word Formation

Presented by: Ledy Liza Ferrando

Definition:
A process by which a word (stem) is
adjusted or changed to derive a new
word.
Once adjusted or changed, to some
extent, the meaning (derivational) and
function (grammatical function or
inflectional) are changed too.
Importance:
Acquaint ourselves with grammatical
rules, parts of speech and other forms.

Encourage deeper understanding of a

language and improves one’s vocabulary.

Promote and instill analytical skills

 Affixation
• Prefix
• Suffix
This occurs when a
• Circumfix
morpheme is attached
to a root. • Infix

Note: Affixes are bound morphemes.

1. Prefix – attached to the beginning
Examples:
un-happy, un-pack, up-grade, pre-school

2. Suffix – attached to the end

Examples:
-less (careless) , -ly (quickly) , -en (shorten, thicken)
3. Circumfix – attached to both (begin and end)
Examples:
in-correct-ness , un-reason-able , im-perfect-ion

4. Infix – appear in the middle of the word,

used to pluralized unusual words.
(most rarely used)
Examples:
cup(s)ful , passer(s)by , mother(s) in-law
 Examples
 DERIVATION Beauty (noun) to
known as beautify (verb)
AFFIXATION Teach (verb) to
Teacher (noun)
 REDUPLICATION
Word formation process in which the stem of a word is
repeated or duplicated exactly or with slight change.

Examples:
I am very very happy. (intensive
reduplication)
walkie – talkie (rhyming reduplication)
chit – chat (ablaut reduplication)
boo-boo (copy reduplication)
 Back Formation
or Reversal

• removing part of a word to make a new

word
Examples
• edit from Editor
• televise from Television
• burgle from Burglar
 Clipping
– a shortened form of a word

Examples
Photo from
Photography
Cab from Taxicab
Kinder from
Kindergarten
Question?
 COMPOUNDING

Open Compound – house party , ice

cream , full moon

Closed Compound – chickpea,

firefighter, background

Hyphenated Compound – mind-

blowing, up-to-date
 Blending
Combining PARTS of TWO
pre-existing forms.

 British + Exit = Brexit

Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch
Smoke + Fog = Smog
 Coining or Root Creation
- brand new word based on a pre-existing morpheme

• Kodak from Camera

• Xerox from
Photocopying
• Kleenex
• Vaseline
  EPONYMY / PROPER
NOUN CREATION
Name derived from PROPER NOUN

Examples
 Hamburger from Hamburg
 Sandwich from Earl of
Sandwich
 Boycott from Captain
Charles C. Boycott
 Cardigan from 7th Earl of
Cardigan
 CONVERSION
refers to the process of
changing or converting the
class of a word without
changing its form.

Examples
Bully (noun to verb)
BREAKOUT (noun to adj.)
EMAIL (noun to verb)
 REFERENCES:
https://www.linguisticsnetwork.com/morphological-processes-101/