John Stammers

Changes in content, lexis and semanticsPage 81: Classroom Activity 2

Blends: A way of making new words that retain some of the meanings of the original words, which link two meanings to create a neologism. However, individual morphemes are not used to create the new word, but prominent parts of words are merged to create the new noun.

Examples:

Blend Blended Words New MeaningMotel Motor + Hotel A roadside hotel designed for motorists, typically only have one floor

where guests can park directly outside their room.Brunch Breakfast + Lunch A late morning meal that is eaten as an alternative to breakfast and

lunch.Wikipedia Wiki + Encyclopaedia Wikipedia’s own definition of Wikipedia is as follows: “a

collaboratively edited, multilingual, free Internet encyclopaedia supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.” In other words, it is a website that acts as an encyclopaedia on everything and anything, from historical events to celebrities. Pages are also created and edited by individuals from around the world, who have signed up to the website.

Docusoap Documentary + Soap A television documentary series in which the lives of the people filmed are presented as entertainment or drama.[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/docu-soap]

Guesstimate Guess + Estimate An estimate based on both a mix of calculations or informed knowledge and guesswork.

Chunnel Channel + Tunnel Sometimes referred to as the Eurotunnel. It is the Anglo-French railway tunnel that runs underneath the English Channel, connecting England and France.

Skort Skirt + Shorts A pair of shorts that have a flap across the front, and sometimes the back, that gives the appearance of a skirt.

Oxbridge Oxford + Cambridge Blending the top universities in England into one word.Labradoodle Labrador + Poodle A breed of dog, which is a result of a Labrador and Poodle cross-

breeding.Boxercise Boxer + Exercise A workout/exercise routine that involves boxing equipment, for

example a punching bag.Netiquette Net (internet) + Etiquette The right/appropriate attitude that should be conducted on the

internet, e.g. not being abusive or trolling.Confuzzle Confuse + Puzzle If somebody is “confuzzled” then the individual is so lost that simply

describing them as “clueless” or “puzzled” would not adequately reflect how clueless they truly are. Or to put it another way, the individual is unable to act because they are unable to comprehend the situation or conversation they are in.

Spork Spoon + Fork A spoon-shaped eating utensil with pointed tips at the end, which resemble the end of a fork.