Word-Formation means or Word-Building Processes in Modern English

Word-formation is a branch of lexicology, which studies patterns on which a language forms new lexical units. Word-formation means can be divided into:

1. Major – affixations, composition, conversion.

2. Minor – shortening, sound imitation, sound interchange, stress interchange, blending (“smog” + ”fog” = “smog”), back-formation.

Affixation

Affixation consists in adding an affix to the stem of a definite part of speech. Affixation is divided into suffixation and prefixation.

Suffixation

The main function of suffixes is to form one part of speech from another. The secondary function is change the lexical meaning of the same part of speech (“king” – “kingdom”). There are different classifications of suffixes:

1. Part of speech classification.

1. Noun-forming suffixes (“er”, “eer”, “dom”)

2. Adjective-forming suffixes (“full”, ”less”, “able”)

3. Verb-forming suffixes (“ize”, “ify”, “en”)

4. Adverb-forming suffixes (“ly”)

5. Numeral-forming suffixes (“ty”, “teen”)

2. Etymological classification

1. Native (Germanic origin) (“er”, “full”, “less”, “ly”)

2. Borrowed (“tion”, “ment”, “eer” (French))

Prefixation

Prefixation is the formation of words by adding a prefix to the stem. The main function of prefixes in English is to change the lexical meaning of the same part of speech.

Classification of prefixes:

1. Semantic classification

1. Prefixes of negative meaning (“un”, ”im”, “dis”, “ir”, “io”)

2. Prefixes denoting repetition (“re”)

3. Prefixes denoting time (“ex”, “pre”)

2. Etymological classification

1. Native (“un”, “over”, “under”)

2. Borrowed (“de”, “ex”, “re”)

Conversion

Conversion consists in making a new word from the word existing in the language by changing the category of the part of speech. The morphemic shape of the original word is unchanged.

The new word has the meaning which differs from that of the original one thought it can be associated with it. The new word has a new paradigm peculiar to its new category of the part of speech.

Nurse, noun -s, plural -‘s, possessive case singular -s’, possessive case plural

To nurse, verb -s, 3d pers. Singular -ed, past In, past part. -ing, pres. part., gerund

Conversion is very productive in modern English due to:

1. The analytical structure if the English language

2. The simplicity of paradigm of the English parts of speech

3. A great number of the one syllable words which are more mobile.

The activity of conversion in different parts of speech varies greatly. Verbs made from nouns are the most numerous.

noun -> verb: hand -> to hand, face -> to face , email -> to email, film -> to film

verb -> noun: to find -> a find, to look -> a look, must have -> must-have

adj -> verb: pail -> to pail, yellow -> to yellow

adj -> noun: cold -> cold

Composition

Composition is the type of word-building in which the new words are formed by combining two or more stems. Such words are called compounds. Structurally compounds may be divided into:

1. Neutral compounds. They are formed by combining two stems without any linking elements (“bed” + “room” = “bedroom”, “kidsadult”, “kindhearted”, “tv-set”, “v-day”)

2. Morphological compounds. They are formed with the help of the linking elements “o”, “i”, “a”, “s” – “speedometer”, “sportsman”, “handiwork”, “nowadays”

3. Syntactical compounds. They are formed from segments of speech including prepositions, conjunctions, articles, adverbs. E.g. “jack-of-all-trades”, “merry-go-round”, “forget-me-not”, “son-in-low” (“in-laws”), “passer-by”.

Semantically compounds may be:

1. Nin-idiomatic compounds (completely motivated). The meaning of the word is understood from the meanings of its compounds – “sunlight”, “dining-room”.

2. Idiomatic compounds. The meaning of the word can’t be understood from the meanings of its components (partially motivated). The meanings of the components are weakened. But we can guess the meaning of the whole word. E.g. “me-generation”, “lazy-bones”, “bluebells”, “blackberries”.

3. Non-motivated. The meanings of the components are lost. E.g. “a bluebottle”, “a lady-bird”, “a lady-killer”, “a love-lace”, “a dragonfly”