Post on 11-Jan-2017
Determining Word Origins
How do you form new words?
Words can originate from and be formed through
compounding, clipping, blending, acronym, and folk
or popular etymology.
Etymology
- the study of the history and origins of words
1. Clipping-cutting off the beginning or the
end of the wordExamples:(tele)phone - phonephoto(graph) - photorom(antic) com(edy) -romcom
Exercises:
flu
(in)flu(enza) - flu
pop
pop(ular music) - pop
gym
gym(nasium) - gym
ad
ad(vertisement) - ad
sci-fi
sci(ence) fi(ction) - sci-fi
2. Blending
- combining two words together to form a word
-usually, the first part of the word is fused with the last part of another
Examples:motor + hotel = motelmotor - a machine that produces motion
or power for doing workhotel - a place that provides lodgingmotel - motorist's hotel
-a hotel provided ample parking
turn + whirl = twirl
turn - to move around a central pointwhirl - to move in a circletwirl - to turn or spin something around and around quickly
smoke + fog = smogsmoke - the cloud of black, gray, or white gases
fog - many small drops of water floating in the air
smog - fog mixed with smoke
Exercises:
advertainment
advertisement + entertainment = advertainment
biopic
biographical + picture = biopic
brunch
breakfast + lunch = brunch
hazmat
hazardous + material = hazmat
simulcast
simultaneous + broadcast = simulcast
3. Compounding-combining two to three words to form a full form
-their meaning is either different from its parts or either the combined meaning of the two words
Examples:self + service = self-servicehappy + go + lucky = happy-go-
luckyback + slider =backslider (the
person who starts doing something again after he stopped it)
sun + glasses = sunglassesnote + book = notebookbreast + feed = breastfeedblue + berry =blueberry
4. Acronym
- forming words through the initial letter or syllables of several words in succession
Examples:
Light Rail Transit -LRTUniversal Serial Bus -USBAs Soon As Possible -ASAPPersonal Identification Number
-PIN
5. Folk or Popular Etymology
-changing the word partially or completely to make a more familiar word
-the meaning of the word changed as time passed by
Examples:a. belfry-derived from the Teutonic
word "berafrid" which means a shed to shelter cattle and carts. Later on, it was used to mean a movable tower used in attacking fortifications.
b. cockroach
-borrowed from the Spanish word for the insect "cucaracha"
c. penthouse-borrowed from Anglo-Norman "pentiz" which means attached building. Now, it is used to mean an apartment on the top floor or roof of a building
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