There are several ways of shortening English words as follows:
Acronymy: Initialisms/Acronyms Clipping Blending
English Lexicology(II)
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I. Acronymy
1.1 Initialisms 1.2 Acronyms
ad biz coke champ demob Doc Gas gent
English Lexicology(II)
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Give clippings for the following words
hippopotamus information laboratory lavatory mathematics mechanic
English Lexicology(II)
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1.2.icycle) / trike (= tricycle )/ cric (= critic) / Frisco (=San Francisco
1.2.6 Some clipped words are used only in journalism
English Lexicology(II)
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Some acronyms are formed with the intial letter of the first word plus the whole of the second.
N-bomb D-Notice G-man D-day V-day
Word-formation IV
The Minor Processes
Important Points
I. Abbreviation/Shortening
Acronymy: Initialisms/Acronyms Clipping: Blending
II. Back-formation III. Reduplication IV. Analogue V. Words from Proper Nouns
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1.2.1 Back Clipping
The shortening may occur at the end of the word, sometimes with an addition of -o, -y, or -i.e.,
picture Poliomyelitis Professional Rhinoceros stereophonic
1) non-technical: O.K. (= all correct) / VIP (very important person) 2) borrowings: AD (= L. Anno Domini)
English Lexicology(II)
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3) proper nouns: U.S.A. / OPEC (=Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) / IBM (=International Business Machines Corporation)
Gov’t (= government); Int’l (= International); Dep’t (= department); H’kong(=HongKong); S’pore (=Singapore
English Lexicology(II)
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1.2.1 Phrase Clipping
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Give clippings for the following words
influenza business parachute refrigerator taxicab
flu biz chute fridge taxi or cab
English Lexicology(II)
Clipped words are generally used in less formal situations than their full-length equivalents: they indicate an attitude of familiarity on the part of the user, either towards the object denoted, or towards the audience.
English Lexicology(II)
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I. The Introduction of Shortening
When new words are formed by compounding or affixation, the result is of course a longer unit. Shortening is contrary to the tend of compounding or affixation.
hippo info lab lav math mec
English Lexicology(II)
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Give clippings for the following words
ammunition conscious objector television Australian recruit trigonometry umpire veterinarian
Nuclear bomb Defense Notice Government man Decimalization day Victory day
English Lexicology(II)
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II. Clipping
This term refers to the process by which a word of two or more syllables (usually a noun) is shortened without a change in its function taking place. Advertisement, examination, gymnasium, laboratory, photograph. professor, all have commonly-used clipped forms: ad or advert, exam, gym, lab, photo, Prof.
English Lexicology(II)
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1.2 Acronyms
Acronyms are words formed from initial letters but pronounced as a normal word. Most of the words are from the name of an organization or scientific terms
ammo conchy telly Aussie rookie trig ump vet
English Lexicology(II)
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2.2.3 Front Clipping
bus (= omnibus) / bo (= hobo) / chute (=parachute) / coon (=raccoon) / copter (= helicopter) / dozer (=bulldozer) / mum (=chrysanthemum) / phone (= telephone) / quake (=earthquake) 1.2.4 front and back clippings flu (= influenza) / fridge (=refrigerator) / tec (=detective) / scrip (=subscription)/ vic (=convict)
English Lexicology(II)
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Give clippings for the following words
gymnasium dormitory handkerchief gasoline kilogram
gym dorm hanky Gas kilo
English Lexicology(II)
English Lexicology(II)
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1.1 Initialims
Initialisms are words formed from the initial letters of words which are pronounced as sequences of letters e.g., EEC. Acronyms are also formed from the initial letters of words, but are pronounced as a word, e.g. radar (radio detecting and ranging).
English Lexicology(II)
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Write out in full the following initialisms
IDD GMT VIP P.S. a.m. p.m.
international direct dial Greenwich Mean Time very important person postscript ante meridiem post meridiem
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2.2 Types of Clipping
Back Clippings/Apocope Front Clippings/Aphaeresis Front and back Clippings Middle Clippings/Syncope Phrase Clipping
English Lexicology(II)
English Lexicology(II)
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Write out in full the following initialisms