Ch 10: Processes of Word

Formation
(Lecture 5)
Ms. Nora F. Boayrid
ENGL306
The English language has over million words… it is normal to wonder
from where it gains all these words!
1. It contains core words that have been part of it as far back as we
can trace its history. E.g. sun, eat, I …
2. It borrows words from other languages. E.g. Cartoon …. à the word
‘cartoon’ originates from the Italian term ‘cartone’ which initially referred to as a drawing on hard paper.

3. It forms new words through defined processes.

Processes of Word Formation:
1. Compounding
2. Derivation
3. Invention
4. Echoism
5. Clipping
6. Acronymy
7. Blending
8. Back-formation
9. Folk etymology
10. Antonomasia
11. Reduplication
1. Compounding
• The joining of two or more words into a single word with relatively a new
meaning.
E.g. green + house à greenhouse
ice + cream à ice cream
door + knob à doorknob

2. Derivation
• Forming new words through adding derivational affixes (i.e. affixation) or
bound bases to existing words.
E.g. do à redo
work à worker
ask à asker
3. Invention
• Words that are totally invented.
E.g. Tweet, retweet …etc.
4. Echoism (a.k.a Onomatopoeia)
• Formation of words whose sound suggests their meaning.
E.g. Clang, hiss, meow …etc.

Ex (10 – 1, p: 129)
5. Clipping
• Forming words by cutting the beginning and/or the end of existing
words.
Ø airplane à plane
Ø examination à exam
Ø influenza à flu
• The result form is called clipped word.
• The clipping of the end of a word is the most common.
• Mostly nouns undergo this process.
• Ex (10-2, p: 129)
6. Acronymy
A word is formed from the initials or beginning segments of a succession
words.
E.g. LOL à Laughing Out Loud
7. Blending
Forming words through mixing the first or final part of a word with the final
or first part of another word.
E.g. Situation and comedy à sitcom

Ex (10 -6,7, p:131-132)

8. Back-formation
The formation of a word from one that looks its derivative.
E.g. editor à edit

Ex (10-9, p:133)
9. Folk Etymology
Changing a word, in part or in whole, to make it more understandable
and more like familiar words.

E.g.
Let ball à prevent (based on Shakespeare’s language) à Net ball.
Varicose veins à Very close veins
10. Antonomasia
The formation of a common noun, a verb, or an adjective from the
name of a person, a place, or an object.

E.g.
iPad à to refer to all tablets
Shakespeare à to refer to his plays, writings
Kleenex à to refer to all tissues regardless of the brand
11. Reduplication (a.k.a twin words)
The process of forming a new word by doubling a morpheme.
E.g. (1) Pooh-pooh
(2) Hanky-panky
(3) Tiptop
They can be divided into three classes:
1. The base morpheme is repeated without change as in (e.g. 1).
2. The base morpheme is repeated with a change of initial consonant as in
(e.g. 2).
3. The base morpheme is repeated with a change of vowel as in (e.g. 3).
• In-class assignment
Ø You can use your book & notes to refer to the meaning of each
process.
• End of chapter 10