Chapter 5: Word Formation Flashcards
neologism
a newly coined word or expression that has achieved popular/institutional recognition
etymology
study of the origin and history of a word
borrowing
taking words from other languages
one of the most common sources of new words in english; dope, tattoo, glitzy
loan-translation / calque
direct translation of word elements into borrowing language
gratte-ciel from skyscraper
compounding
combining two separate words into a whole
doorknob, sunburn, textbook, low-paid, full-time
blending
taking the beginning of one word and joining it to another
smoke + fog -> smog, motor + hotel -> motel
clipping
when a word of more than one syllable is reduced
gasoline -> gas, advertisement -> ad
hypochorism
reduce a longer word, then add -y or -ie
television -> telly, breakfast -> brekkie
backformation
word of one type (ie, noun) is reduced to form another type (ie, verb)
television -> televise
conversion / category change / functional shift
change in the function of a word WITHOUT reduction
guess, must, spy (verbs) -> a guess, a must, a spy; to print out -> a printout
coinage
invention and general use of totally new terms
aspirin, nylon, teflon, kleenex
eponyms
new words based on the name of a person/place
teddy bear
acronym
new words formed from the initial letters of a set of other words
compact disk -> CD, laser, scuba
derivation
MOST COMMON word-formation process; large number of small “bits” (affixes)
un-, mis- pre-, -full, -ish, -ism, -ness, -fuckin-, -goddamn-
infixes
third time of affix; goes around word
unfuckinbelievable
