Word Formation | English Form 5 & 6

This is the field or branch of morphology which studies different principles or processes which govern the conservation or formation of words in a particular language. I.e. it refers to the processes by which new words are formed or built in a particular language.

This process involves morphological processes (then formation of words through combinations of morphemes together with other different processes.

The process of word formation may involve the process whereby roots or stems received inflectional or derivational element (affixes) in order to form the new words.

NB: The roots, stems inflectional or derivational elements are all technique termed as morphemes

MORPHOLOGY

This is a component of grammar (sub branch) of linguistics which deals with the study of morphemes and their difference forms (Allomorphs) and how these units combine together in the formation of words. It also studies the structure and arrangement of words in the dictionary i.e. Morphology is the study of word formation and dictionary use.

DEFINITIONS OF KEY WORDS

1. Morpheme

This is the smallest grammatical or lexical unit in the structure of a language which may form a word or part of a word

E.g. nation national International Internationally Nationalization

Kind – kindness

Take – takes

Taking Discuss – discussion

Unkind Unkindness

Taken

Discussions

A morpheme may represent the lexical meaning or grammatical function.

2. Word

This is the minimal or smallest unit in the structure of a sentence in any language which may constitute on utterance or sentence  on its own. The word is usually formed by either one or several morphemes out it is the smallest unit in the sentence structure.

E.g. Yesterday I met him at Tabata- 6 words

We can words in a sentence and morphemes in a word

3. Stem

Is that part of a word that is in existence before any inflectional affixes have been added. Or

Is that part of the word that inflectional affixes can be attached to. For example:- “cat” can take inflectional morpheme-‘S’

–    “Worker” can take inflectional morpheme-‘S’

–    “Winne” can take inflectional morpheme-‘S’

–    “Short” can take inflectional morpheme-‘er’

–    “friendship” can take inflectional morpheme-‘S’

NB:

•    A stem is a root or roots of the word together with any derivation affixes to which inflectional affixes are added.

•    A stem consists minimally of a root but may be analyzable word into a root plus derivation morphemes

4. Base

Is any unit whatsoever to which affixes of any kind can be added. For example;  in the word “playful” ‘play’ is a root and also a base

In the word ‘playfulness’ the root is still “play” but the base is ‘playful’

– “Instruct” is the base for forming instruction, instructor and re-instruct

NB: All  roots can be  bases but not all bases are roots.

TASK

1. Write ten words which you think are bases but they are not roots

2. Identify the inflectional affixes, derivational affixes, roots, base and stems in the following words faiths, faithfully, unfaithful, faithfulness, bookshops, window-cleaners, hardships

5. Root

This is a basic part of a word which normally carries lexical meaning corresponding to the concept, object or idea and which cannot be split into further parts Roots in many languages may also be joined to other roots or take affixes or combing forms

E.g. Man manly, house hold, big

6. Affix

This is a morpheme, usually grammatical which is attached to another morpheme (stem) in the formation of a new word which may change the meaning, grammatical category or grammatical form of the stem.

E.g. Beautiful mismanagement Disconnect

The affix maybe added either before, with or after the stem thus are three types of affixes.

i. Prefix

This is the affix which is added before the stem

E.g. Disconnect

Illogical Unhappy Empower

ii. Infix

This is the affix that is added within the stem. Thus type of affix is rare to be found in English words

E.g. meno – meino

iii. Suffix

This is the affix that is added after the stem.

Kingdom

7. Allomorph

E.g. Mismanagement

Beautiful Dismissal

This refers to any of the difference forms of the same morpheme root they all represent the past participle (grammatical function)

CLASSIFICATION OF MORPHEMES

The morphemes are classified into several categories basing on several factor such as:-

Occurrence, meaning and function

There are two major types of morphemes

(i)    Free morpheme

This is the morpheme that can stand or occur alone (on its own) as a separate word in the structure of a sentences in any language.

The free morpheme includes all parts of speech i.e. Nouns, Verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, articles

The free morpheme is further divided into two categories

(a) Lexical morpheme

This is the type of frees morpheme which occurs on its own and carries a content of the message being conveyed i.e. It is the free morpheme which represents the actual lexical meaning of the concept, idea, object or action.

The lexical morphemes include the major word classes such as Noun, verbs (main verb), adjective and adverb.

E.g.        House Attend Large Tomorrow

(b) Functional morpheme / grammatical morpheme

This is the free morpheme which can stand alone as a separate word in a sentence but does not represent the actual lexical meaning of the concept, idea, object or action – it has little meaning when used alone and thus it usually occurs together with the lexical morpheme in order to give the lexical meaning

The functional morphemes includes the minor word classes such as pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections and articles, auxiliary verbs etc

(ii) Bound morpheme

This is the morpheme which can not normally stand alone as a separate word in the sentence structure as it is attached to another morpheme (lexical) free morpheme in the formation of the new word.

The Bound morpheme represents grammatical function such as word category tense aspect, person, number, participle, comparison etc.

Example ment, ism represents a noun, aly represent. Adverb

Tense – ed, d, voice, number Person – es

Aspect – ing – progressive aspect Comparison – er, est

The Bound morpheme is farther divided in to two categories.

(a)    Derivation morpheme

This is the bound morpheme which is used to form or make new words with different meanings and grammatical categories or class from the stem i.e. It is the morpheme which when added to the stem it changes the meaning and / or the word class of grammatical category of stem/ base Example unhappy, illogical, impossible, empower National – noun to adjective

Derivation morpheme may occur either before or after or both before and after the stem in the formation of the new words i.e. they may occur either as prefixes or affixes example management, mismanage, mismanagement.

The derivation morpheme may also change the sub classification of the same word class such as concrete noun into abstract noun e.g. Kingdom, friendship, leadership, membership

Deviation morphemes are also used as indicators of word category example simplicity, modernize dare indicators of verb by indicator of adverbs.

(b)    Inflectional morpheme

This is the type of bound morpheme which is not used to produce or form different words with different meaning but rather it is used to change grammatical form of the state i.e. Inflectional morpheme doesn’t change the meaning or word class but it only changes grammatical form of the sentence which represent grammatical function such as to mark the verb for tense aspect, participle voice etc

Example finished, Lorries, oxen Past tense – finished

Past participle – proven

Number – Lorries, oxen, children

Inflectional morpheme also marks nouns and number. They mark adverb and adjectives for comparison

E.g. smaller, smallest

The inflectional morpheme occur only after the stem (they are suffix)

FUNCTION OF MORPHEMES

The morphemes are analyzed as having three major functions that are directly linked with their types.

The following are the functions of morphemes:-

1. The morpheme (free morphemes) are used to form the bases or roots of the words i.e. a single free morpheme, lexical or functional forms the base or root of a word. This function is therefore called Base – form function

E.g. Tree, after, along

2. The morphemes (derivation bound morphemes) are used to change the lexical meaning and / or the grammatical category of the stem. This function is called derivation function

E.g. Disunity, illegal, beautiful, quickly, modernize

3. The morphemes (inflectional morphemes) are used to change the grammatical form or function of the stem without changing the meaning or word class.

This function is known as inflectional function

E.g.    goes,    tallest

TASK

Read the following passage and answer the following question

A thick vegetation cover, such as tropical forests , acts as protection against physical weathering and also helps to slow the removal of the weathered layer in deserts and high mountains the absence of the vegetation accelerates the rate of weathering plants and animals, however, play a significant part in rock destruction, notably by chemical decomposition through the action of organic acidic solution the acids develop from water percolation through party decayed vegetation and animal matter.

Question

1.    Identify

I.    7 lexical morphemes

II.    5 derivation morphemes

III.    2 inflectional morphemes

PROCESSES OF WORD FORMATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The formation of words in English language is archived in several processes or ways.

These processes fall into two major categories

(i) The major processes which includes affixation compounding, Conversion and reduplication.

(ii)  The minor processes which includes clipping Blending, Acronym, Borrowing, Back formation, Onomatopoeia, Coining/ coinage

I) The major processes of word formation

A. AFFIXATION

The process of word formation whereby new words are formed by attaching or adding the affixes (prefix, infix or suffix) to the stem.

E.g.    Shortly – suffix

Unusual – prefix Belonging – suffix Inhuman – prefix Dismissal – suffix

(I)    Prefixation

This is the process of forming new words by adding affixes before the stem/root. For example dislike , unhappy, amoral, decolonise, redo.

Classification of prefix

Prefix are classified into several categories basing on the meaning they give when added to the stem

i.    Negative prefixes

These give the meaning of “NOT” “the opposite of” or “lack of”

E.g Informal – irrelevant Impossible – illegal Immobile – illogical Irregular – disobey Disadvantage – amoral Apolitical

ii.    Restorative prefixes

These give the meaning of “Reverse an action”

E.g Undress – deforest Uncover – depopulate Disconnect – devalue Disorganized Decolonize

iii.    Pejorative prefixes

These give the meaning of “unless. False, fake, unimportant. Wrong, badly or bad” E.g.Malnutrition – pseudo name

Malpractice – pseudo intellectual Misconduct – pseudo scientists Mismanage Misbehave

iv.    Prefixes of degree or size

These express degree or size in terms of quality or quantity.

E.g. Arch (supreme or highest in rank) Super (above or better)

Sir (over and above) e.g. Sir name

Sub (lower or less than) e.g. Substandard, subconscious Over (too much) e.g. Over doss, over it, over confident Under (too little) e.g. under paid, under look, under cook

Hyper (extremely or beyond) e.g. Hyper actives, Hyper sensitive Ultra (extremely or beyond) e.g. Ultra modern, ultrasound

Mini (small) e.g. Mini bus, mini skirt

v.    Prefixes of altitude

These include “Co-“(with or joined)

E.g. Co-operate, co- education, co- exist. “Counter” (in opposition to”) e.g. Counter attack, counter- revolution, and counter act

“Anti” (against) e.g. Antivirus, anticlockwise, anti body

“Pro” (instead of or on the side of) e.g. Pronoun, pro capitalism, Pro multiparty.

vi.    Locative prefixes

These indicate location

E.g. Super (over or above) superstructure, super building, super imposed Inter (between or among) international, inter school

Trans (across) Trans Saharan, trans plant, Trans Atlantic

vii.    Prefixes of time and order

These include “fore” (before, front, first) e.g. Foreground, fore legs, fore knowledge, fore head

Pre – (before) e.g. Pre-mature    per- independence

Pre- form one Pre- National Pre- judge Pre- war

Post – (after) e.g. Post- graduate

Post-election

Post    –    independence

Ex    –        (former)    e.g.        Ex    –    president Ex            –                wife

Ex    –    husband

Ex – soldier

Re – (again or back) e.g.Re – write

Re call

Re evaluate

viii.    Number prefixes

These show number

Uni-/ Mono – (means one) e.g.Uni- cellular

Mono party

Monolingual Monocotyledon

Monosyllabic

Bi -/ Bi – (means two, double or twice) e.g.Bilingua

Bicycle Ditransitive Dicotyledon

Bi- annual

Tri    (three)    e.g.    Triangle Tricycle

Trilateral

Multi/    poly    (many)        e.g Polyandry Polygamy

Multi    lingua

Multiparty

Multi disciplinary

ix.    Conversion prefixes

Prefixes used to change a word from noun/adjective to verb En – (make or become) e.g.    Enslave

Enlarge

Ensure Enforce

Enrich

Enlightened

Be – (make or become) e.g.    Befriend Be calm

Be witch

-A- (be or become) e.g. a live

A rise

x.    Other prefixes

– Auto (self) – Auto biography Autograph Autocracy

-Neo (new or revived) e.g. Neo- colonialism

Ne

-Pan (all or worldwide) e.g. Pan-africanism

-Proto (original) e.g. Proto Bantu

Proto type

-Semi (half) e.g. Semi-circle

A    sleep

Neo-man

Proto    language

Semi-    hemisphere

TASK

Semi-    final

Semi-model

1.    Provide the meaning of the following prefixes and provide three examples of words/roots/stem    which    can    be    use    these    prefixes.

i)    Sur    –

ii)    Proto    –

iii)    Hyper    –

iv)    Dis    –

v)    Neo    –

2.    With examples differentiate between pejorative prefixes and locative prefixes.

3.    Use    appropriate    prefix(es)in    each    of    the    following    words

i)    Charge

ii)    Type

iii)    possible

iv)    Navigation

v)    Ability

4.    i)    Give    three    examples    of    reversative    prefixes

ii)    Write    three    examples    of    the    prefix    poly_

iii)    What is the difference of the prefix “Un” in unhappy, unkind and in uncover, untie

(II)    Suffixation

Is the process of adding morphemes after a system/root. So as to form new word.

Unlike prefixation, suffixes frequently alter the word class of a root/stem.

Classification of suffix

The suffixes are classified according to the class of the new word formed after the addition of the suffixes.

There are four major types of suffixes

i)    Noun suffixes

ii)    Adjective suffixes

iii)    Adverb suffixes

iv)    Verb suffixes

i)    Noun Suffixes

Are the suffixes added to the stem or bases of different word classes in the formation of the new word that are noun by category.

This falls into four categories;

(a)    Noun to noun suffixes

-star (engaged in or belongs to)

E.g. – Young –star Gang-star

-eer (engaged in or belongs to)

E.g. Engineer

Profiteer Racketeer

-let (small)

E.g. Booklet

Leaflet Piglet

-ette (small)

E.g. Kitchenette Cigarette Statuette

-ess (small) e.g. Lioness

Actress Princess

-hood (in the state or status of) e.g. Brotherhood

Manhood Neighborhood Youth hood

Adulthood

-Ship (in the state or status of)

E.g. Friendship Relationship

-Dom (in the condition)

E.g. Kingdom

Freedom Boredom Wisdom

-cracy (system of government)

E.g. Bureaucracy Democracy

-ery (behavior of or place an ac

E.g. Slavery

Machinery Peasantry Carpentry

Concrete – Abstract

(b)    Noun to Adjective suffixes are the suffixes added to

-ist (member of) e.g. Socialist

Idealist Capitalist Ratio list

-ism (attitude or political movement)

E.g. Idealism

Communism

-ness (quality) or state

E.g. Happiness Cleverness

-ity (state or quality) e.g. Stupidity

Ability Salinity

(c)    Verb to Noun suffixes

-er (instrumental or a genitive) e.g. Player

Reader Writer Farmer Leader

-or (” ) e.g.    Actor

Investigator Incubator Insulator

-al (action of) e.g. Arrival

Dismissal Withdrawal Proposal

-age (an activity or)

E.g.    Drainage

Marriage Passage Leakage

-ment (state or action of)

E.g. Government

Treatment Achievement Improvement

-ant (instrumental or adjective)

E.g. Assistant

-ee    (passive    receiver)    e.g.    Employee

Payee Trainee Appointee

Interviewee

– (a) tion (state or action)

E.g. organization Examination Discussion Globalization

Penetration

(ii)    Adjective suffixes

They are used to change the bases of different word classes such as noun or    verbs    in    order    to    form    the    new    words    that    are    Adjective    by

class.

(a)    Verb to Adjective suffixes

-ive (which) e.g. Active

Respective Comparative Collective

-able /-ible

E.g. Manageable Sensible Movable Honorable

(b)    Noun to Adjective suffixes

-al (of or with) e.g. National

Accidental Criminal Historical

– (ii) an (member of) e.g. Tanzanian

Canadian

-ful (having or with)

E.g. Beautiful

Wonderful

-less (without)

E.g.        Childless Speechless Harmless Hopeless Useless

-ly (having a quality of)

E.g.        Manly Friendly Cowardly

-ish (belong to or having the character of)

E.g.        Selfish Turkish Irish Swedish

-ous (with or worth) e.g. Dangerous

Famous

-ese (a member or citizen of)

E.g.        Chinese Congolese Japanese

-y (like, with or cover with)

E.g.        Sandy Muddy Sugar Healthy Creamy Hairy

-like (having a quality or behavior like)

E.g.        Childlike Fingerlike

(iii)    Verb suffixes

These are the suffixes added to the stems or roots of Noun or adjectives to from the new words which are verbs by class.

These are three types of verb suffixes

-ify    (cause    or    make)    e.g.    Identify

Simplify Notify Classify

Purify

-en    (cause    or    make)    e.g.    Widen    lengthen

Sharpen    strengthen

Weaken

Sadden

Threaten

-ize/    –    ise    (    ”    )    e.g.    Apologize

Colonize Socialize

Formalize

(iv)    Adverb suffixes

These are the suffixes which when added to the roots or stems they produce a new word which is an adverb by class

-ly    (in    the    manner    of)    e.g.    quickly

Slowly Quietly Happily

Gradually

-ward (in the manner of or in the direction of)

E.g.    Backward

Onwards Inwards

Downwards Upwards

-wise (as far as or in the manner of)

TASK

E.g.    Education    wise Clockwise

Cultural    wise

Political    wise

1.    Form    verbs    from    the    following    words;    family,    type,    popular,    clear.

2.    Form adjectives from the following words;expression, problem, progress, crime, courage.

3.    With examples differentiate prefixes from suffixes

B. COMPOUNDING

This is the process of words formation whereby two or more lexical morphemes are joined or combined together to form a new single word.

E.g.    Classroom

Earth    quake

Girlfriend

Tea    spoon

Table    mat

Easy-going Washing-machine

NB: The new words formed as a result of the process of compounding are technique known as compound words or compounds.

Classification of compound words

The compound words are classified basing on two aspects;

i)    The way they are written

ii)    According to the meaning

i)    The way they are written

–    Solid/closed compound

These are the compound words that are written without leaving any space or gap between the bases.

Payphone

–    Hyphenated compounds

E.g.    Classroom

Teaspoon Earthquake Wallpaper Textbook

These are the compound words that the written with the hyphen separating the two bases.

E.g.    Fire-escape

High-grade Colour-blind

Brother-in-law

Machine-gun

– Open Compounds

These are the compound words that are written by leaving the space (gap) between the two bases.

E.g.        Sewing        machine Town        planning

Tape    measure

Baking    powder

Washing machine

ii)    According to the meaning Transparent compounds

These are the compound whose meanings reflect the meaning of separate bases i.e. the compounds whose meanings are directly derived or related to the meaning of the separate bases which make them up.

E.g.    Classroom

Girlfriend Earthquake Teaspoon

Washing machine

Opaque Compounds

These are the compounds whose meanings differ from the meanings of separate bases i.e. the compounds whose meanings are not derived or not directly related with the meanings of separate bases which make up

E.g.        Honey moon        wide            spread Daily        word                blue        berry Pass            word    call            right Sweet    heart                    cow            boy

Hot    cake

Home    sick

Sugar    mummy

Day dream

Bahrain

These are the compound words whose meanings    reflect    the    physical    features or appearance of a person or object being reflected to.

E.g.                Blackboard

White                fluid

Block                head

Feature                weight

Red – eyed

Identification of the compound words

There are three ways of identifying the compound words

i.    Through the entry in the dictionary i.e. any compound word should occupy its own entry in the dictionary. It should be regarded as an independent word in the dictionary.

E.g. Bedroom Classroom National park

ii.    Through the word class or category i.e. Each compound word has its own class different from other word classes of the words constituting the compound

E.g. play boy – Noun Play -Verb

Boy – noun Madman – noun Mad – adjective Man – noun

Colour blind – adjective Colour – noun

Blind – adjective

Well – known – adjective Well – adverb

Known – verb

iii.    Through the meaning i.e. some words retain their original meaning after the combination but some of the words convey the meaning that are totally different from the meaning of the original word

E.g. Green fly, Sweet heart, Pass word

C. CONVERSION

This is the process of word formation (derivation process) whereby a base is assigned a new word category (class) without an addition or reduction of any affix. I.e. it is the process whereby a new word is formed by the change of one class into another without the addition or reduction of affix or syllable such as noun into verb adjective – noun and vice – verse

E.g. Love (N) Love is blind.

Love (V) I love you.

Walk (N) The walk to Kilimanjaro was fantastic.

Walk (V) We usually walk on foot to school.

Drink (N) We didn’t get any drink at chalinze. Drink (V) My parents drink beer daily.

Help (N) I need help.

Help (V) I used to help him.

Work (N) My brother has gone to work. Work (V) They work day and night.

Doubt (N) I did not have any doubt on her. Doubt (V) I doubt his ability.

Lower (V) May you please lower your voice? Lower (Adj) He usually speaks in a lower voice.

Ship (N) She traveled by ship.

Ship (V) Slave traders ship travel to America every year.

Poor (N) we need to help the poor.

Poor (Adj) That poor person has been killed.

NB: There some words which change from noun into verb by either voice in the final consonant or by stress shift

(N) Use /just/

(V) Use /just/

Advice (N) I gave him advice. Advice (V) I advised him.

Object – (N) give me that object. Object – (V) why do you object?

Conduct – (N) he didn’t show as any good. Conduct – (V) conduct discussion.

Protest (N) – The protest was between government and student of Dodoma University. Protest (V) – The groups of women took to the streets to protest against the arrest.

Present (N) Adj – I was present.

– He has brought a nice present.

Present    (V)    –    Present    your    work.

TASK

1.    Construct two sentences in each of the following words showing how they can be used in    a    different    word    classes    without    any    affixation    process

i)    Water

ii)    Import

iii)    Produce

iv)    Class

v)    Cleaning

2.    Write new sentences by changing each of the words in capital in to noun

I.    What you PRESENT to day will automatically affect your future

II.    We except to PRODUCE enough crops this year because there is enough rain

III.    The names of evils doers were BLACKLISTED

IV.    For the language to develop, it must borrow some vocabularies from other language.

D. REDUPLICATION

This is the process of word formation where by new words are formed through the repetition of the same or almost the same sounds i.e. It is the process whereby the new word are formed by repeating sound which are either similar or slightly different

E.g. Hush – hush

Sing – song Tip – top Tick – tock Ding – dong Zig – zag Criss – cross Poor – poor

Goody – goody See – saw

Tom – tom Bow – Bo

NB: The new words that are formed as a result of reduplication process are known as reduplicative

The reduplication have the following basic uses

1.    To imitate sound

E.g. Ding – dong (sound of the bell) Ha ha – (sound of laughter)

Bow – bow (dog barking) Tick – tock (Clock sound)

2.    To make things took more intense than they are. (To intensify adjectives)

E.g. Tip – top – (top most) Goody – goody (very good)

3.    To suggest a state of disorder, instability, non-sense

E.g. Niggled – pigged (Un orderly/ mixed up) Lodge – podge (disorganized)

Wishy – washy (weak)

Locus – pocus (Trickery)

Tick – tacky (cheap an of low quality) Pool – pool (not working)

4.    To suggest alternative movement of things

II. Minor processes of word information

E. CLIPPING

This process of word formation whereby one of the syllables are omitted or subtracted from a word and the remaining syllables are regarded as a new word

This occurs when a word of more than one syllable is reduced to a shorter form which is regarded as a new word.

NB: The removal or emotion of a syllable may take place either at the beginning at the end of the word or both.

More        examples:            – Omnibus    –    bus

Air    plane        –        plane Telephone        –        phone

Laboratory    –    lab

Photograph    –    photo

Memorandum    –    memo

Advertisement    –    advert

Mathematics    –    maths

Public    –    pub

Gasoline        –            gas Influence    –        flu    word

Refrigerator – fridge

F. BLENDING

This is the process of word formation whereby two or more parts, fragments or elements of two or more different words are put or joined together to form a new.

I.e. it is the process of talking only the beginning part of one word and joining it to (with) the beginning or the end of another word.

Example: – breakfast + lunch = Bruch Motorist + hotel =motel

Cellular + telephone = cell phone

Mobile + telephone = mobile Television + Broad cast = telecast International + police = Interpol Transfer + resister = transistor

Information + entertainment = infotainment Gasoline + alcohol = gas

International + network = internet Television + marathon = telethon Motor + pedal = moped Electronic + mail = email

Smoke + fog = smog Helicopter + airport = heliport Parachute + troops = paratroops Travel + catalogue = travelogue Binary + Digit = bit

G. ACRONYM

This is the process of word formation whereby the initial or first letters of different words are put together as a new word.

The words that are formed from the initial letter are technique termed as acronyms.

There are two types of acronyms

i.    Acronyms pronounced as a sequence of letter

E.g.    C.O.D – cash on delivery

CID – Criminal Investigation Department FBI – Federal bureau

UN – United Nations

IPA – International Phonetic Alphabet CUF – Civil United Front

CPU- central processing unit

ii.    Acronyms pronounced as words

E.g.        NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization TANESCO – Tanzania electricity Supply Company UNO – United Nations Organization

UNESCO – United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

AIDS – Acquired immune Deficiency and Syndrome CUF – Civil United Fronts

TANU – Tanganyika African National Union TAMWA – Tanzania Media Women Association

H. BACK FORMATION

This is the process of word formation whereby new words are created or formed by the removal of some parts (affixes) from an existing word.

I.e. it is the process whereby a word of one type (usually a noun) is reduced to form another word of different type (usually a verb)

E.g.    Option = opt

Examination = Examine Donation = Donate Worker = Work Television = Televised Emotion = Emote Discussion = Discuss Action = act

(i)    BORROWING

This is the process of taking over the words from one language and adopting or incorporating into another language. The borrowed words are termed as loan words.

English language has borrowed many words

E.g. alcohol – Arabic Zebra – Bantu Safari – Swahili Garage – French Piano – Italian Chemistry – Arabic Opera – Italian Umbrella – Italian Mosquito – Spanish Zero – Arabic Wagon – Dutch Golf – Dutch Calvary – Italian Magazine Arabic Bazaar – Persia Boss – Dutch Tycoon – Japanese Algebra – Arabic

However other language have borrowed some words from English (Shirt) English – shati – Swahili

Super market – suupaa – maketto – Japanese

Radio – rajio – Japanese

I. COINING/ COINAGE

This is the process of word formation by which totally new words are incorporated into the language. This comes as a result of scientific discoveries in which new terms or words are introduced which name the product.

E.g. Aspirin Website Black berry Toss Hitachi Samsung Internet

Globalization You – tube

J. ONOMATOPOEIA

This is the process whereby words are formed by imitating the natural sounds made by objects or animal. The word formed by imitating the natural sounds made by objects or animals are termed as Onomatopoeic or Echo words

E.g. ding – dong (sound of a bell) Bomb (explosion)

Bow bow (dog barking)

Bang (sudden loud noise of something) Tick – tock – (clock sound)

Cuckoo – (sound of a bird) Hah aha –( laughter)

Revision Question

1.    Mention the word formation processes involved in the formation of the following words.

i.    Exaggeration

ii.    Vodacom

iii.    Transistor

iv.    Safari

v.    Revlon

vi.    Farmer

vii.    Sugarcane

viii.    Leader ship

ix.    Book case

x.    Motel

xi.    Socialist

xii.    Bookcase

xiii.    Prof

xiv.    Samsung

xv.    Mini

xvi.    Motorcycle

xvii.    UNO

2.    Make two different sentences for each of the following words. For each sentence the word has to belong to a different class.

i.    A conflict

(i) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(ii) …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

ii.    Abuse

(i) …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(ii) …………………………………………………………………………………………….

iii.    Insult

(i)    ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

iv.    Narrow

(i) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) ……………………………………………………………………………………………

v.    Reject

(i) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) …………………………………………………………………………………………..

3.    Name the word formation processes involved in the formation of the words in brackets

I.    Mwakifulefule had a (jacket less) book

II.    Mayasa (parties) every Saturday night

III.    Everybody must fight against (aids)

IV.    Mufungwa has just got a new (car phone)

V.    Kagaruki wants to be a (footballer)

NECTA 2012

1. Read the following complex sentence and then answer the questions that follow.

Tanzania government has been using teacher in trying to transform education system which was inherited from the colonialism in order to match it with its own new goals, aspirations and concepts of development.

Identify the following from the above given sentence.

a.    Five stems

b.    From 5 stems in part (a) show the roots

c.    5 derivation morphemes

d.    5 inflectional morpheme

2.    a). Provide the adjectival forms the following words and write one Sentence for all

i.    Break

ii.    Measure

iii.    Mentally

iv.    Memory

v.    Medicine

words

b). explain the process involved in the formation of the following groups of

i.    Alcohol, boos, piano, zebra

ii.    Loan word, waste basket, water – bird, finger print

iii.    Facsimile – fax, cabriolet – cab, advertisement – ad

iv.    Telecast, hotel, heliport, brunch

vi.    Telecast – television, opt- option, enthuse – enthusiasm, emote – emotion

Answers for question 1 & 2 (necta 2012)

1a).    Government

Education Colonialism

Aspiration Development

Develop

b).    Govern

Educate Colony Spice

met

c).    meant

ion ism ion

d).    -ing

-en

-s

-ed

2 a). Breakable My pen is    breakable.

b). Measurable

Ojiki’s    thing    is    measurable

c).    Mental

She    visited    the    mental    clinic

d).    Memorable

Her    birthday    was    a    memorable    event

e).    Medical

She is a medical student

b.    (i)    Borrowing

(ii)    Compounding

(iii)    Clipping

(iv)    Blending

(v)    Back formation