Unit 1, Topic 1 - Word formation processes in English

In general, a Word formation process is how new words are created and thus made a part of
any language. In other words, word formation is the creation of new words from existing roots,
adding or removing something. Learning word formation helps a learner expand vocabulary,
understand unfamiliar words and use language more effectively. In English, following are the
processes through which new words can be formed:

1.Compounding
2.Derivation: prefixes and suffixes
3.Conversion
4.Blending
5.Abbreviation / Acronyms
6.Clipping
7.Loan words / Borrowing
8. Coinage

1. COMPOUNDING – Compounding is creating a word by adding up two or more different

words. Or, when two or more words are joined together to form a new word, it is
compounding and the words created in this way, are called Compound words. These
words have a new meaning, but, based on the meanings of the two other words. For
example:

 Book + mark = Bookmark (N)

 Sign + post = Signpost (N)
 Watch + man = Watchman (N)
 Waste + paper = Wastepaper (N)
 Home + work = Homework (N)

 Pick + pocket = Pickpocket (N)

 Low + paid = Low-paid (Adj)

 Home + deliver = Home-deliver (V)

Sometimes, the meaning of a compound is not always the sum of the meanings of its parts. For
example, a CARPET has nothing to do with a ‘car’ or a ‘pet’. Compounds can be solid
(notebook), hyphenated (three-legged), or open (swimming pool).
 2. DERIVATION When a new word is derived from the base form, that is, first form (V1), it
is called derivation. In this process, prefix and suffix are used for forming new words.

A. Pre-fixation: A Prefix is an element which is added before the Base Word. For example,
in the word ‘preview’, ‘pre’ is a prefix and ‘view’ is the Base word. Every prefix has its own
meaning and we can form many new words by adding prefixes to the words and this
process is known as ‘Prefixation’.

Prefixes Examples
Ambi- Ambiguity, ambivert, ambivalent
Auto- Autograph, autocorrect, autobiography
Anti- Anti-social, anti-war, anti-environment
Bio- Biodiversity, biography, biopic
Bi- Bilingual, bimonthly, biweekly
Pro- Pro-war, proactive, pro-Indian

B. Suffixation: A Suffix is an element which is added at the end of the Base Word. For example,
in the word ‘wrongly’, ‘ly’ is a suffix and ‘wrong’ is the Base word. Every suffix has its own
meaning and we can form many new words by adding suffixes to the words and this process is
known as ‘Suffixation.’

Suffixes Examples
-able/-ible Admissible, acceptable, permissible, practicable
-al Logical, rational, seasonal
-an/-ian Musician, Indian, technician
-ant/-ent Defendant, recipient, assistant
-ance/-
Tolerance, patience, acceptance
ence
-ar Tabular, circular, muscular
-cide Homicide, patricide, matricide
-cy Privacy, accuracy, urgency
-en Earthen, wooden, lessen, blacken
-er/-or Examiner, carpenter, actor, collector
-ess Lioness, mistress, tigress
-free Tension-free, dust-free, tax-free
 3. CONVERSION is the process in which same word can be used as different parts of
speech. In other words, Conversion happens when a word changes from one word class
to another. For instance, the verb to google is formed from the noun Google. For
example: I emailed this document to Rohan. (emailed is a verb formed from the
noun email).

Noun as well as Verb

Nouns (Names of things, people, places) Verbs (Physical / real / visible action)
Oil – Oil is essential for hair. Oil- I oiled my hair yesterday.
Bill – I paid the water bill. Bill – They billed this gift to my address.
Link – The link in this App isn’t working. Link – Ronny linked two stories with movie.
Set – I have a set of 3 books. Set – You must SET a safe password
Count – Ricky checked the count (number of
Count- He counted the books.
something)
Change – I need a change in my routine Change – He changed his clothes now.
Board – I boarded the bus/train/plane at 8
Board – CBSE is the central Board of Education in India.
pm.

4. BLENDING: This means coupling or merging two words and making one new word. The
meaning of these newly-generated words is a mixture of the meanings of the original
words. In some cases, these are informal, but, many words have become a natural part
of Standard English. For example: Breakfast + lunch= Brunch, Smoke + fog = Smog,
Motor + hotel = Motel, Fantastic + fabulous = Fantabulous, Education +
Entertainment = Edutainment. Few more examples

Internet + Citizen Netizen

Medical + Care Medicare
Internet + Etiquette Netiquette
Television + Broadcast Telecast
Multiplex + Cineplex Multiplex
Internal + Communication Intercom

5. ABBREVIATION / ACRONYMS: An Abbreviation is the process in which words are

created from the initial letters or some parts of the longer words. Similarly, Acronyms,
(acro=small/short, nym=name) are a form of abbreviation and are formed by using only
 the first letter(s) of the words. By creating an acronym, we can reduce the meaning of
the whole phrase to a sentence or a single word. That’s why some popular words like
laughing out loud become LOL and United Nations becomes UN. Names of countries
like United Kingdom are written as the UK, United States of America as USA. These
words have become a part of acceptable Standard English expressions. In the same
way, When we abbreviate a word, we form another word by using only part of the word
like Perambulator –> pram and Veterinary –> vet. Few more examples are as:

PAN Permanent Account Number

RTI Right to Information
LL.B Bachelor of Legislative laws
SMS Short Messaging System
WHO World Health Organization
ICU Incentive Care Unit
ATM Automated Teller Machine
UN(O
United Nations (Organization)
)

6. CLIPPING: Clipping is the process in which there is a cutting off of one or more parts
from a longer word. Clippings are also known as shortenings. The term is also known as
a clipped form, clipped word, shortening, and truncation. It has three types: back
clipping, fore-Clipping and medial clipping.

A. Back Clipping: In back clipping, the initial portion of the word is retained while the rest is
removed. Examples:
Ad = Advertisement, Gas = Gasoline, Gym = Gymnasium, Doc = Doctor, Exam = Examination,
Fax = Facsimile, Memo = Memorandum, Pub = Public House, Pop = Popular Music.

B. Fore-Clipping: It preserves the final part of the word and removes the initial part.
Examples: Chute = Parachute, Coon = Raccoon, Gator = Alligator, Phone = Telephone.

C. Middle Clipping: Middle clipping involves keeping the central segment of the word and
removing both the frontal and the back parts. Examples: Flu = influenza, Fridge = refrigerator.

7. LOAN WORDS / BORROWING: Borrowing or loan word refers to the process

where a foreign word is used in a different language but it’s not translated. The English language has
adopted a large number of words from other languages. However, a word doesn’t lose its meaning
when re-used in English. There are two different types of loan words.

A . Foreign words with the same spelling This happens when a word is borrowed from a
foreign language and spellings are the same. Examples
Ballet From (French) To (English)
Patio From (Spanish) To (English)
Hamster From (German) To (English)
Cookie From (Dutch) To (English)

B. Foreign words with different spelling In this case, the spelling of the word changes when
used in English. Examples:
Chauffeur From (French) To (Spanish) Chofer – In English – A Personal Driver
Football From (English) To (Hungarian) Futbal

C . Over 80% of the English words are loanwords, and they are from over 120 languages.
Examples

- Arabic: Alcohol, Algebra, Cotton, Sugar

- French: Croissant, resume

- Chinese: ketchup

- Italian: Balcony, opera, violin, spaghetti, macaroni

- Japanese: Sushi

- Indian: Yoga, shampoo

- Turkish: Yogurt, kebab.

7. COINAGE: Coinage is the invention of totally new words. The typical process of coinage
usually involves the extension of a product’s name from a specific reference to a more
general one. For example, think of Kleenex, Xerox, and Nylon. These started as names of
 specific products, but now they are used as generic names for different brands of these
types of products. Thus, a new word is created, either by inventing a completely new
word or by adapting an existing word in a new way. This can happen because of
advances in technology, movies, literature, music, and popular culture. Examples

- Invented trade names, commercial products: Aspirin, Nylon, Vaseline

- Eponyms: new words based on the name of a person or a place: Sandwich, hoover,
jeans

- Some eponyms are technical terms, based on the names of those who first discovered or
invented things: Fahrenheit, Volt, Watt.