shortening
Shortening is an usual method of word formation both in English and Chinese. According to Crystal, shortening is a major feature of written language.
Adj.: wide-open dark blue homesick manmade heartbroken Special compounds: ‘neo-classical’ compounds such as: astronaut biography barometer
Compounds in Chinese
ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ
Conversion A change in word class without the addition of an affix
Conversion in Chinese
代表 了解 阳光 1.我谨代表所有的同学向你表示感谢。 2.这是我们派出的代表。 1.我对他这个人不了解。 2.根据你的了解，事情的原委是怎样的。 1.今天阳光明媚。 2.他是个阳光的大男孩。 1.他笑起来很好看。 2.笑，能解百愁。
Examples



Helicopter ---copter Examination---exam Refrigerator ---fridge Public house---pub Popular song singer---pop singer Telescope---scope Dormitory---dorm
Whereas, the above mentioned formations cannot be found in Chinese, despite the argument that in Chinese we sometimes use the same word as a verb and a noun.
笑
Conversion in English
arm
Go Best Down Out Up
They quickly armed themselves with sticks. Don’t try to eat the whole thing in one go. I’ll do my best to help you.
For example, Rich: If we add a prefix ‘en-’, it becomes a verb ‘enrich’ If we add a suffix ‘-ness’, it becomes a noun ‘richness’
Affix
• The prefixes are the following: A-/an-: abnormal Dis-: dislike discovery In-: instable indoor impossible immoral Mis-: misunderstanding mistrust Mini-: mini-dog Ex-: ex-husband ex-president Multi-: multiparty multinational multiple
汉语中的合成词分为三类： 复合式 附加式 重叠式
其中，汉语的附加式与英语中所 讲的合成词在构词法上是一样的。 因此，可以说，汉语中的合成词 的概念比英语中的概念要广泛一 些。
复合式

联合型或叫并列式：由两个意义相同， 相近或相关词根组成。 如： 途径 体制 价值 关闭 骨肉 尺寸 国家 动 静 质量
Initialisms
Shortening in Chinese
• 略语是语言中经过压缩和省略的词语。 • 一般可以讲其分成两类： 简称 数词缩略
简称
即较复杂的名词的简化形式 如： 两个语素： 家用电器---家电 公共关系---公关 外交部长---外长 高等院校---高校
举例
省并相同的语素：中学，小学---中小学 理科，工科---理工科 陆军，海军，空军---陆海空军 其他： 中国人民政治协商会议---政协 安全理事会---安理会
• Suffixes: -tive/-ary/-ful/-able/-y/-ish/less are all to form an adjective -ness/-tion/-sion/-er/-ence are to form a noun
Blending
Blending refers to the process of combining parts of two words to form a third word which contains some of the meaning of each other.
Backformation
Backformation is the making of a new word from an older word which is mistakenly assumed to its derivative.
Examples:
Original word
beggar
Some ways of word formation in English cannot be found in Chinese language. Such as:
derivation, blending, backformation
Derivation
• By adding affixes to the existing words, we can create new words.
Examples
N.: sweetheart babysitter playground cocktail craftsman businessman paper bag dining room V.: download undergo understand badmouth discover reconstructure retail
Similar word formation:
Compounding, shortening, and conversion
compounding
Compounding refers to a method or a device of language to form new words by combining together old words. Both in English and Chinese, compounding is widely used as a word formation. It is estimated that about 27% of the English words are formed by this way and more than 80% of the Chinese words are created using this method.
Compounding in English
Phonologically, compounds are recognized by stress pattern and lack of juncture. Semantically, compounds have not the literal meaning of its parts. Syntactically, compounds are single lexiceal units and have specific features.
Shortening in English



There are all together two kinds of shortening: Clipping Initialism alphabetisms acronyms
clipping
Clipping
is a common way of shortening a longer word. It is the process by which a word of usually three or more syllables is shortened without a change in meaning or function.
A comparison of word formation between English and Chinese
2007级2班 邓晶 2009.11.5
Generally
speaking, as society develops, word formation gains its complexity. There are both differences and similarities in word formation between English and Chinese. Hopefully, the comparison of the two languages in word formation can be helpful to bilingual learners.
Examples
Smoke+ fog= smog fruit+ juice= fruice Motor+ hotel= motel Modulator+ demodulator= modem Breakfast+ lunch= brunch Communication+ satellite= comsat Helicopter+ airport= heliport
偏正型：前一词根修饰限制后一词根。 如： 秘制 蜡黄 火红 游记 新潮 壁纸 补充型: 提高 车辆 马皮 人口 羊群 动宾型： 司机 管家 站岗 投资 失业 注意 有限