Recent Trends in English Word-Formation

Dossier / Travail , 2008 , 13 Pages , Note: 1.0

Philologie Anglaise - Linguistique

This paper will discuss recent trends in English word formation. To elaborate on the subject it starts to define what word formation is and how it fits into morphology, the part of linguistics dealing with words and their basic units. In the first part it will discuss basic terms and promote the necessary understanding of word analysis. We will discuss what productivity is and what constitutes a new word. Included is also a short introduction in the theory of the lexicon, where the so called lexemes are stored.
The second part will go on with the introduction of recent neologisms that I found interesting, using the circumstance to discuss the basic patterns of word formation. It is not a complete list of recent neologisms, nor is it a statistical analysis of corpora. I will elaborate on certain aspects of word formation patterns with chosen examples. Most neologisms dealt with in this paper can be found in Maxwell (2006); few exceptions can be found the internet. We will also look for irregularities and ask ourselves whether there are any cases in which new words refer to old words.
In the last part of the paper I will have a look at the sources of word formation. Are there any fields in which new words are especially frequent? Are those fields easy to distinguish from each other? Why are these fields important?
The intention of this paper is to give a summary of recent development concerning new words and what such a development might mean to us.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Morphology and Word Formation
• Recent Neologisms
• Compounding
• Clipping
• Blending
• Acronyms
• Derivation
• Coinage
• Conversion
• Sources of present day word formation
• The Internet Age
• Advertising and Trademarks
• Science
• Entertainment and Lifestyles
• The Globalisation of English
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper investigates recent trends in English word formation, examining how new words are created and the factors influencing this process. It delves into the mechanisms of word formation, exploring the interplay between morphology and the creation of new lexical items.

• The role of morphology in word formation
• The analysis of recent neologisms and their formation patterns
• The influence of various sources on word formation
• The impact of the internet, advertising, science, and globalisation on the English lexicon
• The ongoing evolution of the English language through new word creation

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the paper, introducing the concept of word formation and its connection to morphology. It also discusses the notions of productivity and lexicalization in relation to new word creation.
• Morphology and Word Formation: This chapter explores the theoretical foundations of word formation, outlining the distinction between inflectional morphology and word formation, particularly derivation. It defines productivity and introduces the concept of the morpheme.
• Recent Neologisms: This chapter delves into the creation of new words through various patterns, focusing on compounding, clipping, blending, acronyms, derivation, coinage, and conversion. It provides examples of recent neologisms and analyzes their formation processes.
• Sources of Present Day Word Formation: This chapter examines the diverse sources influencing contemporary word formation, including the internet, advertising, science, entertainment, and globalization. It analyzes the impact of these factors on the creation of new words.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The paper focuses on key areas like word formation, morphology, neologisms, compounding, clipping, blending, acronyms, derivation, coinage, conversion, internet, advertising, science, entertainment, and globalization. These terms represent the primary areas of investigation and highlight the dynamic processes involved in the ongoing evolution of the English lexicon.

• Université: University of Dusseldorf "Heinrich Heine" (English Linguistics)
• Cours: English Word-Formation
• Note: 1.0
• Auteur: Bastian Heynen (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2008
• Pages: 13
• N° de catalogue: V143998
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640546435
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640546046
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Word Formation, Morphology, Neologism, Neologisms, Words, Morpheme, Morphemes, English Linguistics, Linguistics, Linguistik, Morphologie, Wortbildung, Neologismus, Neologismen, Wörter, Compound, Compounding, Clipping, Blending, Acronyms, Derivation, Coinage, Conversion, Borrowing, Internet Language, Globalization, Advertising, Advertising Language, Globalisation, Science, Entertainment, English, Englisch, Lexicon