Morphology is an extensive field of linguistics which deals among other things with different ways of forming neologisms and the shortening of words. The following paper concentrates on the specific word-formation process „clipping“. To be able to give an adequate insight into this field of morphology, certain important aspects will be examined, such as the rules of this word-formation process, the usage of clippings in today’s language and the development of this linguistic phenomenon over the past few decades.
During the preparation for this paper, I became curious about how we use clippings in everyday language and which form, the original or the clipped word, is used more often. Do we say more often “mathematics” or “math”? Is the more common term “advertisement” or “ad”?
Even more interesting is to find out in which context which form is used more often. Are clippings still assumed as more colloquial or could some words already are taken over into Standard English and therefore into the academic world? Are clippings restricted to either spoken or written language?
To answer those questions, I will mainly work with two different corpora of American English, namely the “Time Magazine Corpus” and the “Corpus of Contemporary American English”. These corpora give much information about usage and development of certain words in different contexts. However, it has to be said, that this paper can only give a short introductory overview of the word-formation process ‘clipping’.
In the first part of this paper the word-formation process ‘clipping’ and the different types of ‘clipping’ will be explained. Then a short overview about the two corpora used in this paper will be given. After that, I will first compare six words and their clippings since the 1920s, based on the “Time Magazine Corpus”. The next chapter will be about the comparison of the same words in different contexts from 1990 until today, based on the “Corpus of Contemporary American English”. In the end, a conclusion of the results will be presented.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The word-formation process 'clipping'
- 3. Development and usage of clippings
- 3.1 The "Time Magazine Corpus"
- 3.2 The "Corpus of Contemporary American English" (COCA)
- 4. Conclusion
- 5. Bibliography
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to provide an overview of the word-formation process of "clipping" in English, examining its rules, usage in contemporary language, and development over time. The study utilizes two corpora of American English – the "Time Magazine Corpus" and the "Corpus of Contemporary American English" – to analyze the frequency and context of use for several clipped words.
- The rules and types of word clipping
- The frequency of use of clipped vs. unclipped words
- The development of clipping over time
- The contexts in which clipped words are used (formal vs. informal)
- The role of stress in clipping
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by defining the scope of the research, focusing on the word-formation process of "clipping." It highlights the author's curiosity regarding the frequency and context of use for clipped words in everyday language, posing questions about the relative frequency of original vs. clipped forms and the formality of their usage. The chapter introduces the two corpora (Time Magazine Corpus and Corpus of Contemporary American English) that will serve as the primary data sources for the analysis and outlines the structure of the paper.
2. The word-formation process ‘clipping’: This chapter delves into the mechanics of "clipping" as a word-formation process. It distinguishes between productive and less productive word-formation processes, categorizing clipping as one of the less productive but increasingly important types. The chapter emphasizes the role of factors such as ease of pronunciation and increasing familiarity with a topic in the prevalence of clipped forms. Several definitions of "clipping" are presented, highlighting that it involves shortening a word without altering its meaning or grammatical function. Different types of clipping are introduced, including back-clipping and fore-clipping, with illustrative examples of each.
3. Development and usage of clippings: This chapter comprises two sub-chapters focusing on the analysis of clipped words using the "Time Magazine Corpus" and the "Corpus of Contemporary American English." The analysis will likely compare the usage and frequency of several clipped words (and their unclipped counterparts) across different time periods and contexts. This provides insights into the evolution of clipping and its integration into different levels of formality in the English language. While specific details are absent from the provided text, this chapter forms the empirical core of the paper, investigating the research questions presented in the introduction.
Keywords
Clipping, word-formation, morphology, linguistics, corpus linguistics, Time Magazine Corpus, Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), neologisms, back-clipping, fore-clipping, American English, language change, colloquialisms.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview on Clipping
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper focuses on the word-formation process of "clipping" in the English language. It examines the rules of clipping, its usage in contemporary English, and its development over time.
What are the key objectives of this research?
The research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of clipping, including its rules and types, the frequency of clipped words compared to their unclipped counterparts, its historical development, the contexts (formal vs. informal) in which clipped words are used, and the role of stress in the process.
What corpora were used in this study?
The study utilizes two significant corpora of American English: the "Time Magazine Corpus" and the "Corpus of Contemporary American English" (COCA). These corpora are used to analyze the frequency and context of use for various clipped words.
What is clipping as a word-formation process?
Clipping is a word-formation process where a word is shortened without altering its meaning or grammatical function. The paper differentiates between productive and less productive word-formation processes, categorizing clipping as less productive but increasingly important. Different types of clipping, such as back-clipping and fore-clipping, are discussed.
How is the development and usage of clippings analyzed?
The analysis of clipped words is conducted using the Time Magazine Corpus and COCA. The research likely compares the usage and frequency of clipped words (and their unclipped counterparts) across different time periods and contexts. This comparison aims to provide insights into the evolution of clipping and its integration into various levels of formality in the English language.
What are the key chapters of the paper?
The paper is structured into five chapters: an introduction defining the scope of the research; a chapter detailing the mechanics of clipping; a chapter analyzing the development and usage of clippings using the two corpora; a conclusion; and a bibliography.
What are the key terms and concepts discussed in this paper?
Key terms and concepts include: clipping, word-formation, morphology, linguistics, corpus linguistics, Time Magazine Corpus, Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), neologisms, back-clipping, fore-clipping, American English, language change, and colloquialisms.
What kind of insights does this paper offer?
This paper offers insights into the frequency, context of use, historical development, and stylistic implications of clipping as a word-formation process in American English, providing a valuable contribution to the understanding of contemporary language change.
- Quote paper
- Katrin Blatt (Author), 2008, The word-formation process "clipping", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/150807
