Word-formation is a branch of Lexicology which studies the process of building new words, derivative structures and patterns of existing words.
All ways of forming new words can be classified into two big groups: major and minor types of creating new words.
Two major types – word-derivation and word-composition
The minor types – comprise shortening, blending, acronymy, sound imitation, sound interchange, back-formation, distinctive stress.
Major Types of Word-formation
Word-formation deals with words which can be analyzed both structurally and semantically.
Simple words are closely connected with word-formation: they serve as the foundation of derived and compound words.
E.g., consumer, misunderstand, sugar free vs to consume, to understand, free are irrelevant to it.
Major Types of Word-formation
Major Types of Word-formation
Word-derivation: affixation and conversion.
Affixation is the formation of a new word with the help of affixes (happiness, misprint). Affixation → suffixation and prefixation.
Suffixation is mostly to coin nouns and adjectives. Prefixation is mostly to coin verbs.
Word-derivation deals with the derivational structure of words: derivational bases, derivational affixes and derivational patterns.
Major Types of Word-formation
A derivational base is the part of the word which establishes connection with the lexical unit that motivates the derivative and determines its individual lexical meaning describing the difference between words in one and the same derivative set.
For example, the individual lexical meaning of the words consumer, dealer, teacherwhich denote active doers of the action is presented by the lexical meaning of the derivational bases: consume-, deal-, teach-.
