1. Deny A. Kwary http://www.kwary.net Airlanga University
Word Formation
Deny A. Kwary
Airlanga University

2. Types of Word Formation
Compounding
Conversion
Clipping
Blends
Backformation
Acronyms
Onomatopoeia
Eponyms

3. 1. Compounding
Definition: Two or more words joined together to form a new word.
Examples:
Home + work  homework
Pick + pocket  pickpocket

4. Coconut oil  oil made from coconuts.
Note: The meaning of a compound is not always the sum of the meanings of its parts.
Coconut oil  oil made from coconuts.
Olive oil  oil made from olives.
Baby oil 
cathouse 
blue-movies 
blue-chip 
oil for babies
NOT oil made from babies
a house where men visit prostitutes

5. 2. Conversion
Definition: Assigning an already existing word to a new syntactic category.
Examples:
butter (N)  to butter the bread
permit (V)  an entry permit
empty (A)  to empty the litter-bin

6. 3. Clipping
Definition: Shortening a polysyllabic word by deleting one or more syllables
Examples:
Facsimile  fax
Hamburger  burger
Gasoline 
Advertisement 
Omnibus 

7. 4. Blends
Definition: Similar to compounds, but parts of the words are deleted.
Examples:
Motor + hotel  Motel
Breakfast + lunch  Brunch
Wireless + Fidelity  Wi-Fi

8. 5. Back-formations
Definition: Creative reduction due to incorrect morphological analysis.
Examples:
editor (1649)
 edit (1791)
television (1907)
 televise (1927)

9. 6. Acronyms
Definition: Words derived from the initials of several words
Examples:
severe acute respiratory syndrome
 SARS
Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus
 SCUBA

10. Other examples of Acronyms:
Radar
FYI
TGIF
a.k.a
Html
www
SWOT
Radio detecting and ranging
For Your Information
Thanks God It’s Friday
also known as
Hypertext mark-up language
World wide web
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

11. 7. Onomatopoeia
Definition: Words created to sound like the thing that they name.
English
Japanese
Tagalog
Indonesian
Cock-a-doo
Kokekokko
Kuk-kakauk
Kukuruyuk
Meow
Nya
Niyaw
Meong

12. 8. Eponyms Definition: Words derived from proper names or things.
Examples:
Kodak
Sandwich
Celcius

13. Complete the process and Identify the type of word formation:
1. Return on Investment 
2. information, entertainment 
3. modulator, demodulator 
4. love, seat 
5. International, police 
6. A comb 
7. delicatessen 
8. Capt. Charles Cunningham Boycott 
ROI 
Infotainment 
Modem 
Loveseat 
Interpol 
To comb 
Deli 
Boycott 
acronym
blends
compounding
conversion
clipping
eponym