Language Change

Question 1

Acronyms

Answer 1

A lexicalised word is made up from the initial letters of a phrase.

Question 2

Amelioration

Answer 2

A word takes on a different, more positive meaning and gains status

Question 3

Back formation

Answer 3

The removal of an imagined affix from an existing word

Eg. Editor becomes edit

Question 4

Blend

Answer 4

Two words fusing to make a new one

Question 5

Borrowing

Answer 5

Introduction of one language to another

Question 6

Broadening

Answer 6

A word keeps its original meaning but acquires another

Question 7

Clipping

Answer 7

A new word is produced by shortening an existing one

Eg. Edit from editor

Question 8

Compound

Answer 8

Combining separate words to create a new word

Question 9

Conversion

Answer 9

A word changes it’s word class without affixation

Question 10

Drift

Answer 10

Old meaning become forgotten and a word takes on a new meaning

Question 11

Eponym

Answer 11

The name of a person after whom something was named

Question 12

Euphemism

Answer 12

Describing something unpleasant in a more pleasant manner

Question 13

Idiom

Answer 13

A speech form, or expression that can’t be understood literally from the meanings of the individual parts

Question 14

Initialism

Answer 14

A word made from individual letters, each being pronounced CD,DJ

Question 15

Metaphor

Answer 15

An abstract comparison that describes one thing as if it were another

Question 16

Narrowing

Answer 16

Word becomes more specific in meaning

Question 17

Neologism

Answer 17

Creation of new words

Question 18

Pejoration

Answer 18

A word takes on a different more negative meaning

Question 19

Prefix

Answer 19

Addition of a bound morpheme to beginning of a root word: mega, Uber

Question 20

Proprietary name

Answer 20

Name given to a product by one organisation becomes the commonly used names for the same product

Question 21

Semantic change

Answer 21

Occurs when words expand, contract and settle

Question 22

Suffix

Answer 22

Addition of a bound morpheme to end of a root word (radical)ising a

Question 23

Synonym

Answer 23

Different words that mean the same thing

Question 24

Weakening

Answer 24

A word loses the strength of its original meaning

Question 25

Accent

Answer 25

Distinctive manner of oral expression

Question 26

Americanisms

Answer 26

Aspects of our lexicon borrowed/ adopted from American English

Question 27

Assimilation

Answer 27

Where the pronunciation of one phoneme is affected by an adjacent phoneme

Question 28

Calligraphy

Answer 28

Specific learned hand writing styles

Question 29

Coinage

Answer 29

The creation of new terms

Question 30

Dialect

Answer 30

A regional lexicon

Question 31

Estuary English

Answer 31

Effect of London accents spreading through countries connected by the Thames

Question 32

Etymology

Answer 32

The history of words

Question 33

Eye dialect

Answer 33

A way of spelling words that suggests a regional way of talking

Question 34

Graphology

Answer 34

The study of handwriting analysis

Question 35

Omission

Answer 35

When sounds disappear from words

Question 36

Orthography

Answer 36

Study of nature and use of symbols in a writing system

Question 37

Palaeography

Answer 37

The study of ancient forms of writing

Question 38

Phonology

Answer 38

Study of sound system of a given language

Question 39

Preposition

Answer 39

A word like at, to, in, over. Prepositions usually come before a noun

Question 40

Pronouns

Answer 40

A word like I, me, you, he. A pronoun replaces a noun

Question 41

Standardisation

Answer 41

The movement towards a prescriptive form of the English language

Question 42

Superlatives

Answer 42

An extreme comparison between two objects

Question 43

Syntax

Answer 43

Word order in a sentence

Question 44

Typography

Answer 44

The design and planning of printing matter using type