Word-formation

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 747.

Word-formation is the process of creating new words from the material available in the language after certain structural and semantic formulas and patterns. For instance, the noundriver is formed after the pattern v+er, i.e.a verb-stem+ the noun-forming suffix -er. The meaning of the noundriver is related to the meanings of the stemdrive-and the suffix -er: 'a driver is one who drives (a carriage, motorcar, railway engine, etc.). Likewise compounds resulting from two or more stems joined together to form a new word are also built on quite definite structural and semantic patterns and formulas, cf., for instance, adjectives of the snow-white type built according to the formula n-\-adj., i.e. a noun-stem+an adjective stem:coal-black, age-long, care­free, etc. It can easily be observed that the meaning of the whole compound is also related to the meanings of the component parts.

As a subject of study, word-formation is that branch of lexicology, which studies the patterns on which a language, in this case the English language, builds new words. It is self-evident that word-formation can deal only with words which are analyzable both structurally and semantically. The study of the simple word has no place in it. Therefore,writer, displease, atom-free, etc. are relevant to word-formation, butto write, to please, atom, free are not.

Like any other linguistic phenomenon word-formation may be studied from two angles—synchronically and diachronically. It is necessary to distinguish between these two approaches, for synchronically the linguist investigates the present-day system of the types of word-formation while diachronically he is concerned with the history of word-building. To illustrate the difference of approach we shall consider affixation. Synchronically a derived wordis structurally and semanticallymore complex than a simple one, while diachronically itwas formed from some other word. Those are cases of the process called backformation(or back-derivation), cf. beggar —to beg; editor —-to edit; chauffeur —to chauff, and some others. The fact that historically the verbs to beg, to edit, etc. were derived from the corresponding agent-nouns is of no synchronous relevance. For the present-day speaker no such relationship exists, therefore they are all simple words in Modern English.

In conformity with the basic structural types of stems and words described above the following two types of word-formation may be distinguished: word-derivationand word-composition (or compounding). Words created by word-derivation have only one primary stem and one derivational affix in terms of word-formation analysis. We can speak of affixatione.g.cleanness (fromclean), chairmanship (fromchairman), waterproof ness (fromwaterproof), openhandedness(fromopen-handed) (suffixal derivatives), to overestimate (fromto estimate)(prefixal derivative)etc. Some derived words have no affixes, because derivation is achieved through conversion, e.g.to paper (frompaper), a fall (fromto fall), etc. Words created by word-composition have at least two primary stems, e.g. coal-black, ice-cold, looking-glass, daydream, hotbed, speedometer,(compounds) etc. Besides, there are words built by a simultaneous application of composition and derivation (suffixation or conversion)—(derivational compounds), e.g.long-legged, open-minded, a breakdown, etc.

The shorteningof words stands apart from the above two-fold division of word-formation. It cannot be regarded as part of either word-derivation or word-composition for the simple reason that neither the root-morpheme nor the derivational affix can be singled out from the shortened word (cf.lab, exam, V-day, etc.). Consequently, the shortening of words should be treated separately as a specific type of word-formation.