Questions and Answers
What is the study of words and their origins called?
Etymology
What is an abbreviation that uses letters from several other words?
What is the process of putting two words together to make a new word?
Compounding
What term is used for a recently created word?
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What do you call words borrowed from another language?
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What is the term for the invention of new words?
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What are new words based on the name of a person or place called?
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What is a direct translation of the elements of a word into the borrowing language called?
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What is blending in terms of word formation?
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What is the process of creating a new word by shortening an existing one called?
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What is the process where a longer word is reduced to a single syllable and has -y or -ie added?
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What is backformation?
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What is it called when a noun is used as a verb without any reduction?
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What process traces a word from its original root or primitive form?
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What is the main part of a word that carries its meaning?
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What is a small word part added before the root called?
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What is a small part added after the root to change how the word is used?
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What do you call an affix that is incorporated inside another word?
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Study Notes
Etymology
- Etymology examines a word's history, origin, and its evolution over time.
Acronym
- An acronym combines initial letters from multiple words to form a new term, such as KSA, USA, UK, ARE, CD, DVD, USB.
Compounding
- Compounding creates a new term by merging two existing words, examples include bookcase, doorknob, good-looking, low-paid, and fast-food restaurant.
Neologism
- Neologisms are newly created words that describe contemporary concepts or ideas.
Borrowing (Loan Words)
- Loan words are terms adopted from other languages, examples include piano, tattoo, and yogurt.
Coinage
- Coinage refers to the invention of new words, often derived from trade names that become generic, such as aspirin, nylon, vaseline, and zipper.
Eponyms
- Eponyms are derived from names of people or places, for instance, sandwich (John Montagu), Fahrenheit, volt, and watt.
Loan Translation (Calque)
- A calque involves translating the components of a foreign term directly into the borrowing language, as seen in skyscraper translated to French (gratte-ciel) and German (Wolkenkratzer).
Blending
- Blending mixes parts of two words to create a new term, like brunch (breakfast + lunch), motel (motor + hotel), and telecast (television + broadcast).
Clipping
- Clipping shortens a longer term to create a new word, such as phone from telephone.
Hypocorisms
- Hypocorisms turn longer words into diminutive forms by shortening them to a single syllable and adding -y or -ie, leading to terms like movie (from moving pictures) and telly (from television).
Backformation
- Backformation occurs when a noun is reduced to form a different word class, typically a verb, as in television becoming televise.
Conversion
- Conversion shifts a word's function without altering its form, where nouns can become verbs, like in the case of phrasal verbs (to print out, to take over).
Derivation
- Derivation traces a word back to its original root or primitive form, often through adding affixes to alter meaning.
Root
- The root of a word is its core component that conveys meaning.
Prefix
- A prefix is a small element added before the root to modify its meaning.
Suffix
- A suffix is attached after the root, altering how the word is used.
Infixes
- Infixes are affixes inserted within a word, exemplified by terms like godtripledammit and absogoddamlutely.
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Description
Test your knowledge on etymology with this flashcard quiz. Explore the origins of words, their transformations, and specific linguistic concepts like acronyms and compounding. This quiz is perfect for anyone interested in the rich history of language.
