Chapter 5 Word formation

Question 1

Neologism

Answer 1

A new word

Question 2

Etymology

Answer 2

The study of the origin and history of a word

Question 3

Borrowing

Answer 3

Taking over words from other language. Piano (Italian), jewel (French) yogurt (Turkish) etc.

Question 4

Loan translation

Answer 4

We loan a word but translates it. Superman from ubermensch.

Question 5

Compounding

Answer 5

Produce a new word by joining two separate words. Fast-food, waterbed.

Question 6

Blending

Answer 6

Beginning of word together with ending. Sexting from sexual texting, brunch.

Question 7

Clipping

Answer 7

A form of a word with more than one syllable is reduced to a shorter word. Fax, flu, fan.

Question 8

Hypocorism

Answer 8

a longer word is reduced to one syllable + and -y/-ie at the end. Movie, Aussie, hankie

Question 9

Backformation

Answer 9

A word of one type is reduced to form another type. Usually noun -> verb. Bulldozer – bulldoze, mixture – mix.

Question 10

Conversion

Answer 10

Function of a word changes without reduction. Dust (noun) becomes dust (verb), Cheat, water.

Question 11

Coinage

Answer 11

Invention and general use of totally new terms. Often from trade names for commercial products, Teflon, granola.

Question 12

Eponym

Answer 12

Coinage from the name of a person or a place. Hoover, jeans (from town in Italy).

Question 13

Acronym

Answer 13

New words formed from initial letters of a set of words. CD, NATO

Question 14

Derivation

Answer 14

Creating new word with affixes

Question 15

Affixes

Answer 15

un-, -ful, -less, mis-. Called prefixes in beginning of word, and suffixes at the end of a word.

Question 16

Analogy

Answer 16

A new word is formed that is similar to existing words. Hippies – yippies – yappies.