...The study of language has become a subject of interest for many years. English for instance, has without a doubt become the global language. Whenever we turn on the news to find out what is happening from four corner of the world, local people are being interviewed and telling us about it in English. To be more specific, English is adopted as an internal lingua franca and second language for most Europeans (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Dutch, and France) although English is not treated as an official language in these countries. While in most Asian countries, having English is always associated with having a prestigious job and career. However, people do not realize that English has adopted enormous number of words from various countries in the world since the imperialism and trade kicked off.
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This essay will respectively discuss the various ways that word-formation processes come into a language, adapted from Yule (1996, p.63-70) namely; coinage, borrowing, compounding, blending, clipping, backformation, conversion, acronyms, derivation, prefixes and suffixes, infixes and multiple processes. Furthermore, this essay will also discuss the implications of word formation for a language learning and teaching process....
Table of Contents
- Coinage (an adoption of brand names as common words)
- Borrowing
- Compounding
- Blending
- Clipping
- Backformation
- Conversion
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to discuss the various ways new words are formed and integrated into the English language. It explores several word-formation processes, illustrating them with examples and considering their implications for language learning and teaching.
- Word formation processes in English
- Examples of coinage, borrowing, compounding, and other processes
- The impact of word formation on language evolution
- Applications to language learning and teaching
- Cross-linguistic comparisons of word formation
Chapter Summaries
Coinage (an adoption of brand names as common words): This section defines coinage as the creation of entirely new words, often stemming from brand names that become generic terms. Examples such as "Hoover," "Xerox," and "Kleenex" illustrate this process. The distinction between "motivated" and "ex nihilo" coinage is explained, with examples of onomatopoeia ("hiss," "sizzle") and entirely novel creations ("grok," "googol"). The potential legal issues surrounding the use of trademarked terms in formal writing are also highlighted.
Borrowing: This section focuses on the adoption of words from other languages into English. Numerous examples are provided, categorized by their origins (e.g., indigenous American languages, Pacific Rim languages, European languages, Semitic languages, African languages). The text discusses three reasons for borrowing: cultural domination (e.g., Norman French influence), close contact between language speakers (e.g., Spanish words in the American West), and the need to express concepts more effectively. The influence of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Hindi, and Arabic on Indonesian is also briefly examined as a comparative example.
Compounding: This section explores the creation of words by combining two or more roots, exemplified by "bookcase." Phrasal verbs ("get up," "turn about") are presented as a specific type of compounding. The text further delves into three common types of compounding: compound nouns, verb-noun compounds, and compound adpositions, illustrating them with examples from various languages (Germanic, Romance, and Japanese) and highlighting cross-linguistic variations in word order and structure. The Indonesian examples "kayuapi" (firewood) and "suratkabar" (newspaper) are given as examples.
Blending: This section explains blending as a word-formation process that combines parts of two existing words to create a new one. Examples like "motel" (motor hotel), "brunch" (breakfast and lunch), and "smog" (smoke and fog) are given to illustrate the process, along with a discussion of the linguistic mechanism of combining word beginnings and endings. The formation of blends, or portmanteau words, is highlighted, further emphasizing the concept of word fusion.
Clipping: This section describes clipping as the shortening of polysyllabic words, with examples such as "gas" (gasoline), "bro" (brother), and "prof" (professor). The text notes the prevalence of clipping in educational settings, citing examples like "chem," "exam," and "gym." A brief discussion is included regarding the prevalence of clipping in Australian names as well.
Backformation: This section defines backformation as the creation of a new word by removing a suffix from an existing word, illustrated by examples like "pronunciate" (from "pronunciation") and "burgle" (from "burglar"). The distinction between backformation and clipping is emphasized, highlighting the role of morphological analysis in backformation versus the purely phonological nature of clipping. The text stresses the importance of historical knowledge for understanding back-formed words.
Conversion: This section explains conversion as a change in the grammatical function of a word, such as using a noun as a verb or vice versa. Examples such as "to paper the walls" and "to butter the toast" demonstrate the process. The text highlights the occurrence of conversion in Indonesian, using examples like "menggurui" (to teach) and "mengadali" (to dupe). The section also discusses instances where the meaning of a word can shift significantly after conversion, providing examples and exploring the nuances of semantic change.
Keywords
Word formation, coinage, borrowing, compounding, blending, clipping, backformation, conversion, language change, English vocabulary, language learning, language teaching, morphology, etymology, cross-linguistic comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the focus of this essay?
This essay examines the various processes through which new words are created and integrated into the English language. It explores several word-formation processes, providing examples and discussing their implications for language learning and teaching.
What word-formation processes are covered?
The essay covers seven key word-formation processes: coinage (including brand names becoming common words), borrowing from other languages, compounding (combining existing words), blending (combining parts of words), clipping (shortening words), back-formation (creating a word by removing a suffix), and conversion (changing a word's grammatical function).
What are some examples of coinage?
Examples of coinage include brand names that have become generic terms, such as "Hoover," "Xerox," and "Kleenex." The essay also discusses onomatopoeia ("hiss," "sizzle") and entirely novel creations ("grok," "googol").
How does borrowing contribute to English vocabulary?
The essay illustrates how English borrows words from numerous languages, categorizing examples by origin (e.g., indigenous American, Pacific Rim, European, Semitic, African languages). Reasons for borrowing include cultural domination, close contact between speakers, and the need to express concepts more effectively. The influence of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Hindi, and Arabic on Indonesian is also discussed as a comparative example.
What are the different types of compounding?
The essay explores compound nouns (e.g., "bookcase"), verb-noun compounds, and compound adpositions. Phrasal verbs ("get up," "turn about") are presented as a specific type of compounding. Cross-linguistic variations in word order and structure are also highlighted, using examples from Germanic, Romance, and Japanese languages, along with Indonesian examples like "kayuapi" (firewood) and "suratkabar" (newspaper).
What is blending, and what are some examples?
Blending involves combining parts of two existing words to create a new one. Examples include "motel" (motor hotel), "brunch" (breakfast and lunch), and "smog" (smoke and fog). The essay discusses the linguistic mechanism of combining word beginnings and endings and highlights the creation of portmanteau words.
How does clipping work, and where is it common?
Clipping shortens polysyllabic words; examples include "gas" (gasoline), "bro" (brother), and "prof" (professor). The essay notes its prevalence in educational settings ("chem," "exam," "gym") and in Australian names.
What is back-formation, and how does it differ from clipping?
Back-formation creates a new word by removing a suffix (e.g., "pronunciate" from "pronunciation," "burgle" from "burglar"). The essay distinguishes this from clipping, emphasizing the role of morphological analysis in back-formation versus the phonological nature of clipping. Historical knowledge is highlighted as important for understanding back-formed words.
What is conversion in word formation?
Conversion involves changing a word's grammatical function (e.g., using a noun as a verb, or vice versa). Examples include "to paper the walls" and "to butter the toast." The essay explores this process in Indonesian and discusses how conversion can significantly shift a word's meaning.
What are the key takeaways regarding language change and learning?
The essay emphasizes the dynamic nature of language, showcasing how word-formation processes contribute to vocabulary growth and evolution. The implications of these processes for language learning and teaching are discussed throughout.
What are the key terms associated with this essay?
Key terms include word formation, coinage, borrowing, compounding, blending, clipping, backformation, conversion, language change, English vocabulary, language learning, language teaching, morphology, etymology, and cross-linguistic comparison.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anne-Katrin Wilking (Autor:in), 2011, How new words come into the language, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/177150
