Create your own English words

C1

Create your own

English words
Learn to talk about wordplay and the emergence
and use of new English words (neologisms).

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 Create your own English words

What is a neologism?
Could you name an example?

to google sth

Do you use these words

in your daily life?

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 Create your own English words

Read and comment

Jess John

It’s very common that languages create new

I am worried about the English language.
words (or borrow words from other
There are so many words invented every day
languages) to name new things. The word
that are completely unnecessary. Why do we
internet is a good example of an invented
google something instead of searching
word for a concept that didn’t exist before.
something on internet? We even tweet
Neologisms can make our life easier too.
things these days! What is going to be next?
Searching something on internet is simply
We are going to zoom with our friends?
longer than googling something.

With whom would you agree more?

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 Create your own English words

Prefixes and suffixes

Form words using the prefix and suffixes below

● A prefix is added to the beginning of a word and changes the meaning.

Counter (opposing/against) + offer = counteroffer

● A suffix is added to the end of a word and changes the meaning.

Child + hood (state of being) = childhood

inter- between interact

mis- wrongly

-acy quality, condition, position

-dom state or condition; domain

-ship state, condition; rank, position; skill

king diplom understand act friend

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 Create your own English words

Word-blending
We can blend two different words to create a word with a meaning that also combines that
of the two original words. For example, if we blend the words breakfast and lunch we get
brunch, which is a late breakfast and/or an early lunch.
● Can you guess the meaning of the words below?
● Think of other words that can be formed with the same parts and give an example.

workaholic motorbike sportcast docudrama

I would say I am a danceaholic.

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 Create your own English words

Tic-Tac-Toe
Guess the origin and meaning of the following words

Option A Option B

3 4 5 3 4 5
guesstimate mansplaining spork chillax malware biopic

2 9 6 2 9 6
hangry Brexit doomscrolling infotainment motel infodemic

1 8 7 1 8 7
staycation muppet televangelist blog Britpop Blursday

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 Create your own English words

Clipping

Clipping is the process of forming words by shortening existing ones.

● Back clipping is when a the back half of a word is cut off.
Brother - bro
● Fore clipping is when the first part of a word is cut off.
Cockroach - roach
● Rarer, mid clipping is where a new word is clipped from the middle of a word.
Influenza - flu

What is the clipped word that originates from each of these words?

● alligator ● gasoline
● public house ● examination
● advertisement ● refrigerator

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 Create your own English words
In which fields are
many neologisms
Guess the meaning! created?

● Come up with invented words using each of

the following methods:
○ Prefixes/suffixes
○ Word-blending
○ Clipping
● Share your word(s) with the class.
● The rest of the class has to guess the meaning.

A My first word would be situationship.

B I think it means…
C That word exists already!

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 Create your own English words

In this class, I was able to...

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 Create your own English words

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