4.5 Clipping4.5 Clipping

DefinitionDefinition■■ ClippingClipping is the formation of new is the formation of new

words by cutting a part off the orginal words by cutting a part off the orginal and using what remains intead.and using what remains intead.

Eg. gas←gasoline, bus←monibus

radar ← radio direction finding and range laster ← light amplification by stimulated emmission of radiation

■ Clipping is of a character of using words precisely and conveniently.

Four common typesFour common types

1.Front Clipping plane ← aeroplane,airplane wig ← periwig(( 假发）假发）

2.Back Clipping doc ← doctor, dorm ← dormitory

3.Front and Back Clipping fridge ← re`frigerator, tec ← de`tective

4.Phrase Clipping daily ← daily paper perm ← permanent wave( 烫发 )

Other types of clipping

Syncope( 词中省略 ) One or two syllables are omit from a word for the convenience and casualness.

Contractions （缩约形式） eg. gov’t←government rec’d←received

eg. praps ← perhaps pacifist ← pacificist( 和平主义者 )

A few contractions only appear in poems. eg. e’en←even,e’er←ever, ne’er←never,o’er←over

Conlusion

• In some cases,clipping gives rise to alterations in spelling and pronunci- ation to conform to the English ways of spelling and pronunciation.

•Clipped words are not so formal as original words,so they’re usually used orally or in informal occasions,eg.lab, maths,trig.

eg. mike←microphone dub←double( 为电影配音）

•Most clipped words have the same meanings as the original,but a few developed new meanings. eg.fan:enthusiastic admirer or support of ↑ sth./sb. （体育、电影等爱好者）fanatic: person who is too enthusiastic about sth. （狂热者，盲信者）

4.7 Back-formation

Definition

Back-formation is the method of creating words by removing the supposed suffixes.

eg. swindler ( 骗子）

schwindler → (German)

→ swindle ( 行骗）

It’s considered to be the oppossite process of the It’s considered to be the oppossite process of the

suffixation.suffixation. suffixation: imagine + -ation→imagination back-formation: swindler － -er→swindle

Types of words

1.Abstract Nouns eg. diagonse v. ←diagnosis n. aggress v. ←aggression n.

2.Agential Nouns eg.rove v. ←rover n. beg v. ←beggar n. edit v. ←editor n.

3.Adjectives eg. frivol v. ←frivolous a. drowse v. ←drowsy a.

4.Compound Nouns and Others

Compound nounseg. daydream v.←daydreamer n. lip-read v.←lip-reading n.

Otherseg. maffick v.←Mafeking n. （狂欢庆祝）（南非地名） grovel v.←grovelling n. （趴着） （趴着地）

conclusionWors created through back-formation are mostly verbs.Only few can be used as both nouns and verbs. eg. gloom n.← gloomy a. pup n.&v ← puppy a.

A number of back-formation word has become common in English,eg,edit,beg.

However,back-formation words are largely informal and some haven’t gain currency.So,we should use them with care.