Theoretical questions part 2 Flashcards
1
Q
Word-formation processes can be divided
into 3 main types:
A
primary, secondary, marginal
2
Q
Name the primary word-formation
processes.
A
- affixation
- compounding
- conversion
3
Q
- Name the secondary word-formation processes.
A
- shortening
- blending
- back-formation
- reduplication
- lexical ellipsis
4
Q
- Name the marginal word-formation processes.
A
- sound interchange
- eponymy
- shift of stress
- sound symbolism
- word manufacture
5
Q
- What does it mean when we say that a word- formation process is productive?
A
Many lexemes can be formed by particular word-formation process.
6
Q
- What is affixation?
A
Affixation is a productive word-formation process in which new lexemes are produced by adding derivational affixes to at least one root lexeme
7
Q
- Give some noun-forming suffixes.
A
-tion, -ity, -er, -ness, -ism, -ment, -ant, -ship, -age, -ery.
8
Q
- Give some verb-forming suffixes.
A
-en, -ify, -ate, - ise
9
Q
- Give some adverb-forming suffixes.
A
-y, -like, -en
10
Q
- Give some negative prefixes.
A
un-, dis-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, non-, de-, mis-
11
Q
- Give some diminutive suffixes.
A
-y/-ie, -ette, -let, -ock, -ling, -o
12
Q
- What is compounding?
A
Compounding is a process of creating new words by combining at least two root morphemes.
13
Q
- According to their structure, compounds can be divided into:
A
- simple (2 root morphemes, e.g. daylight)
- complex (3+ root morphemes, e.g. forget-me-not)
14
Q
- According to the relationship between their components, compounds can be divided into:
A
- coordinative (e.g. deaf-mute)
- subordinative (e.g. blackboard)
15
Q
- According to the word-formation processes involved, compounds can be divided into:
A
- mono-formative (mother-in-law)
- poly-formative (back-bench/er)
16
Q
- Explain why some compounds are called literal. Give some examples.
A
- The meaning of the morphemes is compositional.
- Example: classroom, sunlight, deaf-mute
17
Q
- Explain why some compounds are called metaphorical. Give some examples.
A
- They cannot be interpreted literally.
- Example: chatterbox, pickpocket, nightcap
18
Q
- Give one example of a compound adjective, compound verb, and a compound adverb.
A
- adjective: brand-new
- verb: downsize
- adverb: outside
19
Q
- What is conversion?
A
Conversion is a very productive word-formation process in which a word is converted into a different word-class without adding any affix.
20
Q
- What is indirect conversion? Give an example.
A
- Where a noun is not converted to a verb, but it is pre-modified by verbs such as have, get, take, give, and make, and the phrase has a verbal function.
- Example: take a shower = to shower
21
Q
- The process of shortening can be divided into these types:
A
- clipping
- acronymy
- initialisms
- graphical abbreviation
22
Q
- Clipping can be defined as …
A
Clipping involves cutting off one or more letter or syllables of a word.
23
Q
- Depending on which part of the word is clipped, we distinguish these types of clipping:
A
- initial
- medial
- final
24
Q
- Give two examples of initial clipping and final clipping.
A
- Initial: aeroplane –> plane, omnibus –> bus
- Final: gymnasium –> gym, brother –> bro
25
41. What is the difference between transparent and non-transparent clipping?
* Transparent: the clipped lexeme directly corresponds to a part of the original word
* Non-transparent: the clipped lexeme doesn’t directly correspond to a part of the original word
26
42. What is the difference between acronyms and initialisms?
Acronyms are read as regular words. Initialisms are always spelled out, we do not read them as words.
27
43. What is special about graphical abbreviation?
This type of shortening is restricted to a written language.
28
44. What is blending? Give two examples.
* Blending is a process in which two words merge into one.
* Example: br(eakfast) + (l)unch –> brunch, sm(oke) + (f)og –> smog
29
45. Define the term back-formation. Give two examples.
* A formation of a new lexeme by means of a deletion of a suffix-like element from apparently complex form.
* Example: editor –> to edit, lazy –> to laze
30
46. Give examples of full and partial reduplicatives.
* Full: bye-bye, chop-chop
* Partial: tip-top, chit-chat
31
47. Define lexical ellipsis.
An omission of one word of a multi-word phrase/collocation.
32
48. What is sound interchange? Give two examples.
* This process typically involves a change of word class by the mutation of one or more phonemes within the word/root.
* Example: blood –> bleed, breath –> breathe
33
49. What is interesting about the words present, export, frequent, absent, etc. from the word-formative point of view?
Shift of stress
