How does Language Change? Flashcards
Coinages
Word formation process in which a new word is created either deliberately or accidentally without using the other word formation processes and often from seemingly nothing. Often start as brand names.
Eponym
Word form by the word formation process in which a new word is formed from the name of a real of fictitious person.
Affixation/Derivation
Making a new word by adding prefixes or suffixes to a word to make new words.
Conversion
Over time some words change function, and go through the process of conversion
telescoping
Shortening / contracting words
acronym
Words formed by the word formation process in which an initialism is pronounced as a word.
abbreviation
Formed by the initial letters of a word or phrase. Although abbreviation is largely a convention of written language, sometimes abbreviations carry over into spoken language
compounding
Making a new word by joining two words
blending
Making a new word by joining the beginning of one word to the end of another word
clipping
Reducing the word but not changing the original meaning
Coalescence
Where two sounds merge into one sound
Backformation
Making a new word by removing part of the word
Reduplication
Sounds are repeated with identical or only very slight changes
Borrowing
Words from other languages, of the 1000 most frequently used words in English, approximately 50% come from French and Latin.
Amelioration
The upgrading or elevation of a word’s meaning, as when a word with a negative sense develops a positive one.
