School of Foreign Languages
HANOI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
UNIT 4: WORD – FORMATION (CONT)
English Lexicology
Introduction
1. Compounding
2. Shortening
3. Conversion
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1. Compounding
1.1. Definition
Composition or word compound is the combination of
two free bases
Free Free Compound
Base Base word
E.g. rail + way = railway
post + office = post office
ice + cream = ice cream
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1. Compounding
1.2. Specific features of English compounds
• Both immediate constituents of an English compound are
free forms
• The regular pattern for the English language is a two-
stem compound
• If a the number of stems is more than two, one of the
immediate constituents is itself a compound
E.g. baby outfit, wastepaper-basket
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the structure of
immediate constituents:
• Simple neutral compounds: consist of simple stems
e.g. bed room, shop-window
• Neutral compounds: where at least one of the constituents is a
compound stem
e.g. wastepaper-basket.
• Contracted compounds: where at least one of the constituents is a
clipped stem
e.g. TV-set
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the structure of
immediate constituents:
• Derivational compounds where at least one of the constituents is
a derived stem
e.g. film-goer
• Syntactic compounds
e.g. man-of-war, mother-in-law
• Morphological compounds
e.g. handicraft, sportsman, speedometre
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the semantic aspect of
compound words
• Non – idiomatic compounds
The compounds whose meanings can be described as the sum of their
constituent meaning: classroom, bedroom, working-man
• Idiomatic compounds
The compounds whose meanings do not correspond to the separate
meanings of their constituent parts: football, blackboard, merry-go-round,
tallboy
+ Partial semantic change
+ Total semantic change
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the parts of speech
• Compound Noun
N + N : schoolgirl, classroom
V-ing + N: dining – room, speaking club
N + prep: stander – by, wash – up
V + N: pickpocket, cut throat
Adj + N: blackboard, lighthouse
Mixed up: father- in- law, forget-me-not, never-can-be-finished
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the parts of speech
• Compound adjectives:
N + {-ed}: heartbroken, tree-bordered, snow-covered
N + adj: snow white, stone deaf, homesick
Adj + adj: dark blue, light green
Adj + N-ed: one-eyed, short-haired
Adj + V-ing: good-looking, heart-rending, hard-working
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the parts of speech
• Compound adjectives:
N + {-ed}: heartbroken, tree-bordered, snow-covered
N + adj: snow white, stone deaf, homesick
Adj + adj: dark blue, light green
Adj + N-ed: one-eyed, short-haired
Adj + V-ing: good-looking, heart-rending, hard-working
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1. Compounding
1.3. Classification of Compounds
Compounds are classified according to the parts of speech
• Compound verbs:
blackmail
honeymoon
Nickname
proof-read
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2. Shortening
2.1. Definition
Shortening may be represented as significant
subtraction, in which part of the original word is
taken away.
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
• Clipping or contraction
• Blending
• Acronym or Abbreviation
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Clipping or contraction
i. Definition
Clipping is the cutting-off of the beginning or the end
of the word or both, leaving a part to stand for the
word.
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Clipping or contraction
ii. Types of Clipping
• Initial clipping retains the final part of the prototype
e.g. telephone – phone
• Final clipping retains the beginning of the prototype
e.g. advertisement – ad, gymnastic – gym
• Medial clipping retains the middle part of the prototype
e.g. influenza – flu, refrigerator – fridge
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Blending
i. Definition
Blending is a fusion of words into one, usually the first part of a
word with the last part of another
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Blending
ii. Types of blending
• Additive type is transformable into a phrase consisting of the respective
complete stems combined by the conjunction and
e.g. smog = smoke and fog, brunch = breakfast and lunch
• Restrictive type is transformable into an attributive phrase, where the
first element serves as modifier of the second
e.g. motel = motorist’ hotel, telecast = television broadcast
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Acronym or Abbreviation:
i. Definition
Acronym is the process by which a word is formed from the initials or the
beginning segments of a series of words.
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2. Shortening
2.2. Classification of Shortening
Acronym or Abbreviation
ii. Types of acronyms
• The abbreviated written form can be read as a whole
e.g. UNESCO, TOEFL
• The abbreviated written form can be read as separated letters
e.g. UN, BBC
• The abbreviated written form can be read both ways
e.g. UNO
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3. Conversion
3.1. Definition
It is the process by which words extend their
grammatical function.
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3. Conversion
3.1. Semantic relationships in conversion
a) The noun is the name of a tool or implement, the verb
denotes an action performed by the tool: to hammer, to knife, to saw.
b) The noun is the name of an animal, the verb denotes an
action or aspect of behavior considered typical of this animal: to dog,
to wolf, to ape.
c) The name of a part of the human body – an action
performed by it: to hand, to leg, to eye
d) The name of a profession or occupation – an activity typical
of it: to nurse, to cook, to maid
e) The name of a place – the process of occupying the place
or of putting smt / sb in it: to room, to house, to place.
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