Nonmorphological Word Formation

  1. López Rúa, P.
Book:
Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics

Publisher: Elsevier

ISBN: 9780080448541

Year of publication: 2006

Pages: 675-678

Type: Book chapter

DOI: 10.1016/B0-08-044854-2/04244-9 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

Abstract

This article deals with two minor mechanisms for enlarging the vocabulary of a language: the reduction of the orthographic and phonological shape of already-existing items (shortening) and the creation of new items with no morphological, phonological, or orthographic motivation (word manufacture). The account of shortening devices (clipping and initialization) comprises a feature-based description of typical, central, and peripheral items, together with a brief overview of problematic cases located in borderline areas with respect to other categories, namely blends, compounds, and abbreviations. The approach, based on typicality and continuity, is intended to provide a comprehensive and systematic view of this heterogeneous area of word formation.

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