Word Formation Processes Flashcards
Compounding
combination of two or more free
roots
* endocentric: makes sense (blackboard
* exocentric: doesnt make sense (bluebottle)
Derivation
Affixation and change in meaning
Backformation
From noun to verb
* babysitter -> to babysit
* orator -> to orate
* editor -> to edit
* burglar -> to burgle
* backformation -> to backform
Conversion
Changing the meaning of a word by changing its word class, but not changing the word form
* a phone (n) → to phone (v),
* dirty (adj) → to dirty (v),
* to drive (v) → a drive (n)
Semantic shift
adding new meaning to existing
word
* derail
* mouse
* bitch
Borrowing
taking words from another language
* shampoo, pistol, robot, hurricane, schadenfreude, pretzel, taco
De-indexicalisation
Shift of proper noun to
common noun
* jeans, denim, chasmere, lynch, rambo, frank
Invention
inventing a word
* google, facebook
* onomatopoetic
Clipping
microphone → mic
Acronym
AIDS → acquired immune deficiency syndrome
* read
Initialism
FBI
* spell
Blending
breakfast x lunch → brunch
