词汇学论文构词法

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词汇学论文构词法

1 / 71 Word-Formation

Abstract : A further way besides borrowing in which the vocabulary of English has

expanded to accommodate to the natural and social world in which it is used has been

to employ means internal to the language itself for devising new word. This is the area

of word-formation. Morphological productivity can be defined as the property of a

given word formation process to be used to derive a new word in a systematic fashion.

Most linguists divide the word-formation into major word-formation and minor

word-formation .

The major word-formational processes are :

- Affixation

- Compounding

- Conversion

The minor word-formational processes are :

- Abbreviation

- Back formation

- Onomatopoeia

Key Word : affixation, derivative, compounding, abbreviation, onomatopoeia

1 Affixation

Affixation, also called derivation, is a process in which a free morph is combined

with a bound morph, a prefix, or a suffix. It is generally defined as the formation of

words by adding derivational affixes to different types of bases . There are two types

of derivative . One bases on free root with affix or bound root , the other bases on

bound with affix or other bound root .

1.1 Types of affixes

- prefixes

- suffixes 词汇学论文构词法

2 / 72 - infixes

Modern English has a number of highly productive affixes. For example, the

prefix over can be added to verbs which express activities to indicate that too much

has taken place, i.e. something has been overdone, cf. overcook, overcoat, overstay.

Likewise, the suffix –ness can be added to an adjective make a noun designating the

quality express by the adjective, its nouniness, so to speak.

1.2 Two types of derivative’s structure

1.2.1 Free root + affix/bound root

1) prefix + free root

e.g.: Indefinite (a. uncertain), unforgettable (a. memorable) ,

minibus (coach)

2) free + suffix

e.g. : wealthy (a. rich) , successful (a, achieving aims) , extremely

(adv, to a very high de.g.ree) , comfortably (adv. in a comfortable

way)

3) prefix +free root + suffix

e.g. : enrichment (a. sb/sth being rich or richer) , international (a.

connected with two or more countries) , unchangeable (a. that can not

be changed)

4) combining form + free root

e.g. Afro-American , Afro-Asian , techno-chemistry , microwave

1.2.2 Bound root + affix/bound root

1) prefix + bound root (without formation)

e.g. contradict (v. to say sb has said is wrong) , descend (v. go down) ,

despair (v. give up all hope)

2) bound root (without formation)+ suffix

e.g. confidence (n. trust in) , liberate (v. emancipation) , linguist (n. a

person who knows several foreign languages well)

3) prefix + bound root (without formation)

e.g. distinctive (a. special ) , intolerable (a. can’t bear) , contradiction 词汇学论文构词法

3 / 73 (n. a lack of agreement between facts)

4) combining form + combining form

e.g. macrobiosis (n. long life) , microscope (n. an instrument used in

scientific study for making very small thing look larger)

2 Compounding

Composition or compounding is a word-formation process consisting of joining

two or more bases to form a new unit, that is, a compound. Compounding is perhaps

the most common way of expanding the vocabulary of English. It allows users to

combine two familiar words to form a new lexeme.

Very often compounds are written as two words, which means that they are

accepted into dictionaries a little reluctantly. Certainly, dictionaries seem not to list

compounds in anything like the numbers in which they are in use. This may be

justified perhaps because compounds are frequently transparent and their meanings

are relatively accessible without a dictionary. Furthermore, many of them do not

become lexicalized, but have a very transitory life.

According to the words’ characteristic, there are compound nouns, compound

adjectives , compound pronouns , compound verbs , compound adverbs , etc .

2.1 Compound Nouns

n. + n.: bar code , mouse mat , Website

a. + n.: blueprint , compact disc

adv. + n.: off chance , overdose , underclothes

-ing + n.: learning strate.g.y , marketing campaign , parking meter

n. + v.: daybreak , earthquake , parking meter

adv + n : downfall , income , offset , output , uplift

v. + adv.: get-together , handout , makeup

n. + -ing: air-conditioning , brainstorming , family planning

prep.+n.: afternoon , by-product , overcoat

2.2 Compound Adjectives