CONCEPT OF

WORD
FORMATION
WHAT IS WORD
FORMATION?
Word formation is a linguistic process through
which new words are created in a language.
This process involves combining existing
words or parts of words to generate novel forms
that convey specific meanings. Word formation
plays a crucial role in the evolution and
enrichment of languages, allowing them to
adapt to changing contexts and express
innovative concepts. There are several types of
word formation, each with its own set of rules
TYPES OF WORD
FORMATION 6. ACRONYM
1. PREFIXATION
FORMATION
7. BACK-
2. SUFFIXATION
FORMATION
8.
3. CONVERSION
CLIPPING
9.
4. COMPOUNDING
REDUPLICATION
10.
5. BLENDING
DERIVATION
 PREFIXATI
ON
The addition of a prefix (a group of letters
attached to the beginning of a word) to an existing
word to create a new one

Unhappy (un- + happy),

EXAMPLE
Overcome (over- + come)
 SUFFIXATI
ON
The addition of a suffix (a group of letters
attached to the end of a word) to an existing word
to create a new one.

Careful (care + -ful),

EXAMPLE
Happily (happy + -ly)
 Conversion
The process of using a word as a different part of
speech without any change in form.

Noun to verb - She will fish (noun) for

EXAMPLE
compliments. / Verb to noun - The swim was a
good exercise.
 Compounding
The combination of two or more words to create a
new word, often with a distinct meaning.

Toothpaste (tooth + paste),

EXAMPLE
Raincoat (rain + coat)
 BLENDING
The fusion of parts of two words to create a new
word with a combined meaning.

Brunch (breakfast + lunch),

EXAMPLE
Smog (smoke + fog)
 Acronym Formation
Creating a new word by taking the initial letters of
a phrase or a set of words

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space

EXAMPLE
Administration), RADAR (Radio Detection
and Ranging)
 Back-formation
Creating a new word by removing an affix (prefix
or suffix) from an existing word.

Edit (editor),
EXAMPLE
Donate (donation)
 Clipping
Shortening a word by removing one or more
syllables to create a more concise form

Phone (telephone),
EXAMPLE
Ad (advertisement)
 Reduplication
Repetition of all or part of a word to create a new
word with a similar or intensified meaning

Repetition of all or part of a word to create a

EXAMPLE
new word with a similar or intensified meaning
 Derivation
Creating a new word by adding a derivational
morpheme (an affix) to an existing word.

Happy (happiness),
EXAMPLE
Friend (friendly)
IMPORTANCE OF WORD
FORMATION
1.Language Evolution: Word formation allows languages to evolve
and adapt to changing needs, reflecting advancements in technology,
culture, and society.

2. Expressiveness: It enhances the expressiveness of a language by

enabling the creation of nuanced and specific terms to describe new
concepts.

3. Communication: The ability to form new words facilitates

effective communication, helping speakers convey complex ideas
with precision.

4.Lexical Enrichment: Word formation enriches the lexical content

of a language, contributing to its richness and depth.
to conclude
the concept of word formation is a
dynamic and integral aspect of
language. The various types of
word formation processes
contribute to the flexibility,
adaptability, and richness of
languages across the world.