Various Ways of Word Formation

A Wonderful Word

Apart from affixation, there are several other ways in which new words are formed. Also, words are
used in different ways for different meanings or connotations.

(a) Negative prefixes

Prefix Base word New Word
in- possible/mortal impossible/immortal
in- evitable inevitable
sensitive insensitive
un- stable unstable
like unlike
a- theist atheist

moral amoral

non- entity non-entity

violence non-violence

dis- passionate dispassionate

service disservice

il- logical illogical

limitable illimitable

ir- rational irrational

relevant irrelevant

de- frost defrost

forestation deforestation

mis- interpret misinterpret

Conversions

Some words can be used as nouns, verbs, adverbs or adjectives without any change in the form of
the word, without the addition of an affix or prefix. This process of derivation is called Conversions.
 (b) Other Types of Conversion
i. Please give me two coffees.
(An uncountable noun used as a countable noun)
ii. This instrument is a must for you.
(A closed system word being used as noun)
iii. I do not like this touch-me-not policy.
(A phrase being used as an adjective)
iv. I do not believe in my ism bothering the society today.
(A suffix being used as a noun)
v. He is only being nice.
(Stative verb used as a dynamic verb)

Compound Formation

Compounds are found by joining two or more bases. These bases are, in some cases, separated by a
hyphen, while in other cases, the hyphen appears to have disappeared with the passage of time. There
is no rule governing the presence or absence of the hyphen.

Blends

Two words are sometimes clipped and the clippings joined to form a newword.

Examples:

brunch from breakfast and lunch

smog from smoke and fog

telecast from television and broadcast

motel from motorists and hotel

Borrowings

English (or any other language) generally borrows words from other lamguages with which it comes
into contact. English continues to enrich its store of words by such borrowings.

Examples:

Guru (from Hindi)

bazaar (from Persian)

Sheikh (from Arabic)

tycoon (from Japanese)

Dame (from French)

Inventions

New words have to be given to new inventions. Such words (as other words of the language)are
arbitrary but in course of time, they come to stay as a part of the language.

Examples:

X-rays, laser, sputnik, astronout

Echoism

Some words are formed by the sounds that suggest their meaning.

Examples:

Clang, whisper, thunder, click, tick, lisp, murmur.

Language, as everybody knows, is dynamic. It continues to acquire new words with the passage of time.
Some words also go on disappearing, as the time passes,due to several reasons. Language is open-ended
and modifiable.