4.2. Word Formation

Key words: derivative relations, simplexes, complex (derived) words, derivational (underlying) base, productivity, activity, creativity, word formation pattern, affixation, compounding, conversion.

Look up these terms in the glossary or in the sources indicated in the bibliography to the glossary. Compare the definitions given in English and in Russian.

Problems for Discussion

1. Word formation as a derivational process. Its function and role in the processes of naming (verbalization).

2. Principles and units of word formation. Derivational bases (stems), devices and patterns.

3. Derivational potential of the lexicon. Activity, productivity and creativity as different aspects of the derivational potential of the lexicon.

4. Word formation and language acquisition.

Questions and Tasks

1. Dwell on the role of word formation in the processes of verbalization. Compare the use of word formation to that of borrowing. Take into account the following statistics: of 6000 new English items given in the supplement to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language 199 are borrowed, 1443 are formed by affixation, 1365 by compounding, 179 are shortenings, 26 are back formations, 97 are functional shifts, etc. (see for details Cannon, G. 6000 words / G. Cannon // Language. – 1978. – Vol. 54, № 2. – P. 446–448).

2. Name the derivational bases of the following complex words and say what changes they have undergone in the processes of derivation: humanity, snowflake, blue-eyed, four-wheeler, smog, T-shirt, aircraft-carrier, doc, UNESCO, televise. Find analogous examples of your own.

3. Compare the morphemic and derivational structure of the following words: comradeship, vet, BBC, wildanimal-tamer, eligibility, prep, maths, V-day, lemon-squeezer, weekender, instruct. Write the patterns of the derivatives within the list if possible.

4. Compare the derivational potential of the words animal, wolf, dog, kangaroo; man, woman, person, agent, teacher, student; friendliness, beauty, significance. Comment on the parameters which influence the derivational potential of words.

5. Write in part-of-speech symbols the patterns of the following words: differentiation, antivirus, coinage, nuclear physicist, exceptionality.

6. Give examples of recently coined words and say how they were formed.

7. Compare the patterns of the following English words with those of their Russian equivalents: builder, antiwar, humanity, brotherhood, bearish, yellowish, cleverness. Name the correlative patterns in both the languages.

Recommended Reading Obligatory

Английская лексикология в выдержках и извлечениях / C.С. Хидекель [и др.]. – Л.: Просвещение. Ленингр. oтд-ние, 1969. – C. 86 –116.

Арнольд, И.В. Лексикология современного английского языка / И.В. Арнольд; на англ. яз. – 3-е изд. – М.: Высш. шк., 1986. – C. 77–107.

Лексикология английского языка / Р.З. Гинзбург [и др.]; на англ. яз. – 2-е изд., испр. и доп. – М.: Высш. шк., 1979. – C. 23–25, 89–114.

Смирницкий, А.И. Лексикология английского языка / А.И. Смирницкий. – М.: Изд-во лит. на иностр. яз., 1956. – С. 48–70.

Харитончик, З.А. Лексикология английского языка / З.А. Харитончик. – Минск: Вышэйш. шк., 1992. – С. 110–148.

Jackson, H. Analyzing English / H. Jackson // Словообразование в английском языке: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. З.А. Харитончик, И.В. Ключникова. – Минск: МГЛУ, 2005. – C. 48–49.

Uhlenbeck, E.M. Productivity and Creativity / E.M. Uhlenbeck // Словообразование в английском языке: Хрестоматия по лексикологии английского языка / сост. З.А. Харитончик, И.В. Ключникова. – Минск: МГЛУ, 2005. – C. 44–46.