M+S L4)EN1500 Lecture 4: Word Formation & Category Conversion

Study Flashcards Play Quiz

Questions and Answers

What is the term for a word formed by combining parts of two or more words, resulting in a new word with a combined meaning?

Blending

What type of clipping involves cutting a part from the beginning of an existing word?

Initial Clipping

What is the term for a word formed by cutting part of an existing word, without changing its meaning?

Clipping

What is the term for a word formed by reversing a derivation process, such as forming a verb from a noun?

Backformation Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, such as 'sci-fi' from 'science fiction'?

Acronym Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a word formed by combining parts of two or more words, such as 'brunch' from 'breakfast' and 'lunch'?

Portmanteau Signup and view all the answers

What type of onomatopoeia is 'beep', which refers to a high-pitched signal?

Sound made by devices or objects Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of reduplication with a consonant change?

Hustle-bustle Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a word that is borrowed from another language with little or no modification?

Loan-word Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a loan-shift?

Bridge Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a word that is created from scratch, often by recycling bases and affixes into new combinations?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What type of word is 'Coke', which is a brand name?

Brand Name Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for creating a new word by removing a real or supposed affix from another word?

Backformation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is an example of a blend word?

Labradoodle Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for creating a new word by taking the first letters of a few words?

Acronym Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for reading out the first letters of a few words making up a name or phrase?

Initialism Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is an example of clipping?

Phone Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for creating a new word by combining parts of two words?

Blending Signup and view all the answers

What type of onomatopoeia is 'choo choo', which refers to a train?

onomatopoeia named after a sound Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for words formed by repeating a word or part of a word, such as 'hustle-bustle'?

reduplication Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for words borrowed from other languages, such as 'sushi' from Japanese?

loan word Signup and view all the answers

What type of reduplication involves a change in the initial consonant, such as 'teenie-weenie'?

consonant change Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for words formed by imitating sounds, such as 'fizz' or 'beep'?

onomatopoeia Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a word formed by combining parts of two languages, such as 'coconut' from Greek and English?

loan-blend Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic do words like 'buzz', 'chirp', and 'hiss' have in common, and how do they relate to the concept of onomatopoeia?

They imitate the sounds they describe, and are examples of onomatopoeia, a type of word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the sound that it describes. Signup and view all the answers

How do echoism and onomatopoeia differ, and what are some examples of each?

Echoism refers to words that evoke the sound or sensation they describe, but do not necessarily imitate it, whereas onomatopoeia imitates the sound it describes. Examples of echoism include 'silky' and 'rough', while examples of onomatopoeia include 'buzz' and 'meow'. Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of reduplication, and how does it differ from blending?

Reduplication involves repeating a part of a word, often with a change in the sound or meaning, whereas blending involves combining parts of two words to create a new word. Examples of reduplication include 'mishmash' and 'wishy-washy', while examples of blending include 'brunch' and 'smog'. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a loan word, and how does it differ from a borrowed word?

An example of a loan word is 'sushi', which originated in Japanese but is now used in many languages. A loan word differs from a borrowed word in that it is incorporated into the borrowing language with little or no modification, whereas a borrowed word may undergo changes in pronunciation or meaning. Signup and view all the answers

How do initialisms and acronyms differ, and what are some examples of each?

Initialisms are pronounced letter by letter, such as 'PC' for personal computer, whereas acronyms are pronounced as a word, such as 'AIDS' for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Examples of initialisms include 'PR' and 'IBM', while examples of acronyms include 'UNICEF' and 'LEED'. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a portmanteau word and a blend word, and how do they relate to the concept of blending?

A portmanteau word is a word that combines parts of two words, such as 'smog' from smoke and fog, whereas a blend word is a word that combines parts of two words, but does not necessarily create a new word with a combined meaning. Blending is the process of creating a new word by combining parts of two or more words. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the original word and its clipped form in terms of meaning, and provide an example from the lecture?

The original word and its clipped form have the same meaning. For example, 'bus' is a clipped form of 'omnibus', and both have the same meaning. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the difference between a portmanteau word and a blend, using examples from the lecture.

A portmanteau word is a blend of parts of two or more words, resulting in a new word with a combined meaning. For example, 'brunch' is a portmanteau word formed from 'breakfast' and 'lunch'. A blend is a more general term for a word formed by combining parts of two or more words, but it may not necessarily result in a new word with a combined meaning. For example, 'slithy' is a blend of 'lithe' and 'slimy'. Signup and view all the answers

What is the functional shift in the example 'a table' > 'to table a bill', and how does it relate to category conversion?

The functional shift is from a noun to a verb. This is an example of category conversion, where a word changes its part of speech without changing its form. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of a word that has undergone a change in stress pattern during conversion, and explain why this is significant.

The word 'record' has undergone a change in stress pattern from /rɪˈkɔːd/ (verb) to /ˈrekɔːd/ (noun). This is significant because it shows that the word's stress pattern can change during conversion, even if its form remains the same. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between 'adaptation' and 'clipping' in the context of word formation, using examples from the lecture?

Adaptation involves modifying a clipped form to make it more natural or acceptable in the language. For example, 'fries' is an adapted form of 'French fried potatoes'. Clipping, on the other hand, involves cutting part of an existing word without changing its meaning. For example, 'bus' is a clipped form of 'omnibus'. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of feature guessing in the context of word formation, and provide an example from the lecture.

Feature guessing involves guessing the meaning of a word based on its features, such as its stress pattern or sound. For example, the word 'dry' can be converted from a verb to a noun by shifting its stress pattern, as shown in the lecture. Signup and view all the answers

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.