2013-11-4 Chapter 5 Minor processes of Englishword-formation

Chapter 5Minor Processes of English Word-formation

Shortening Types

of shortening or abbreviation(缩略法)

Clipping ( 截短法)The process of clipping involves the deletion of one or more syllables from a word (usually a noun), which is also available in its full form. e.g. plane , phone , gym, taxi Four main types of Clipping 1. Back clippings(apocope) The deletion may occur at the end of the word. exposition advertisement e.g. ad. = expo = auto = automobile champ = champion, dorm = dormitory liberation homo = homosexual lib = memo = memorandum examination exam=

2. Front clippings (aphaeresis)The deletion occurs at the beginning of the word:e.g. bus = omnibus, chute = parachute, copter = helicopter, plane = aeroplane/airplane, phone = telephone, quake = earthquake scope = telescope; microscope; radarscope etc.

3. Front and back clipping (not a common type of clipping)The deletion occurs at both ends of a word:e.g. flu = influenza, fridge = refrigerator tec = detective

4. Middle clippings (syncope)

the middle part of the word is cut off. eg. bike = bicycle maths =mathematics curtsy = courtesy specs = spectacles

5. Phrase clippingsThis involves the shortening of a phrase: e.g. nylons = Stocking made from nylon non-com = noncommissioned officer;士兵 perm = permanent wave pop = popular music, concert, or record. prefab = Prefabricated house lube = lubricating oil zoo = zoological garden

Clippings often alter spelling:e.g. biz, bike, fridge, pram (perambulator), sarge (sergeant ) Some clipped forms are altered by the addition of such endings as -y, -ie, or -o. e.g. comfy , hanky , teeny , telly, ammo taxi, plane bus, pram. etc.-- fully accepted in the standard language ad, dorm, bike, exam, lab, math, etc. -- informal sarge, combo, tec ,etc -- slangy combination 社团, 小型爵士乐团

Give clippings for the following words

gymnasium dormitory handkerchief gasoline kilogram influenza business parachute refrigerator taxicab

gym dorm hanky Gas kilo flu biz chute fridge taxi or cab

Acronymy -- Initialisms and Acronyms Acronymy

is a special kind of clipping, by which a new word is formed from the initial letters of the name of an organization or scientific term,etc. There are two kinds of word formed by acronymy: initialisms and acronyms,while are different in that the former are pronounced letter by letter while the latter are pronounced as single words.

1. Acronymy -- Initialisms and Acronyms1. Initialisms (首字母缩略词)Initialisms are pronounced letter by letter. e.g. BBC--British Broadcasting Corporation /'bi:bi:'si: APC-- aspirin, phenacetin乙酰对氨苯乙醚, 非那西汀 (解热镇痛剂的一种), caffeine咖啡因, usually a white tablet used for reducing fever, relieving headache, etc. /ei pi:'si:/ VIP--a very important person /vi:ai'pi:/ The motivation for initialism is either “brevity o

r catchiness” e.g. BO –- body odour VD – venereal disease

Three types of initialisms:1) The letters represent full words. This is the main type e.g. CIA= the Central Intelligence Agency of the U.S., IOC = International Olympic Committee, ISBN = International Standard Book Number UN = United Nations IDL = International Date Line CPU = Central processing unit FAS f.a.s. = free alongside ship 船边交货 (价格) FOB f.o.b. = free on board(货物) 离岸价格 CIF = Cost insurance and freight 到岸价格 GT = gross tonnage CAD= computer assisted design

2) "The letters represent elements in a compound or just part of a word" (Quirk et al 1972) e.g. ID = Identification (card) TB = tuberculosis TV = television

3) A letter represents the complete form of the first (or the first two) word, while the second word (or the third word) is in full form: e.g. H-bomb =hydrogen bomb; D-notice = official request to news-editors not to publish items on specified subjects, for reasons of security; G-man = an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (AmE) V-J Day = the day on which the fighting with Japan officially ended in the World War II (Aug.15, 1945) or the day the surrender was formerly signed (Sept.2, 1945)

Acronyms (首字母拼音词)Acronyms are words formed from the initial letters of the name of an organization or a scientific term, etc. Acronyms differ from initialism in that they are pronounced as words rather as sequences of letters; NATO --- the North Atlantic Treaty Organization BASIC /'beisik/ -- Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code OPEC /'oupek/-- Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries SALT / sC:lt/ -strategic Arms Limitation Talks 限制战略武器会谈 TEFL / tef l/ -- teaching English as a foreign language UNESCO/ju:5neskEJ/-- Nations Educational, Scientific and the UnitedCultural Organization.

RAM = random-access memory ROM = SARS = read-only memory

severe acute respiratory syndrome

When acronyms become very common, they are usually spelled in small letters.

laser / 5leizE / -lightwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiationradio detecting and ranging radar / 5reidE/-scuba /5sku:bE/-self-contained underwater breathing apparatus