• Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words.

• Its origins in Greek (étymon "original form" + logia "study of").

• Sources of English Words:

1. Greek: Provides terms like "mono-" (e.g., "monocycle").

2. Latin: Provides terms like "uni-" (e.g., "unicycle").

3. Germanic: Provides lternatives like "one-" (e.g., "one-wheeled cycle").

10.Study Questions

1 When is an eponym a neologism?

-> An eponym becomes a neologism when it is newly coined and becomes a widely used term in the language.

2 Which word-formation process is the source of the English word modem?

->The word "modem" is formed through blending. It is a portmanteau of "modulator" and "demodulator,"

3 Which two processes were involved in the creation of the verb google, as in Have you ever googled yourself??

-> The creation of the verb "google" involves both coinage and conversion. "Google" was first coined as a brand name, and then it was converted into a verb meaning "to search on the internet."

4 Which process is clearly involved in creating the new term selfie?

-> The term "selfie" was created through the process of clipping.

5 What do we call the process whereby a new word is formed to be similar to an existing word? 

-> This process is analogy.

6 Which of the following pairs contains an example of calque? How would you describe the other(s)?

(a) footobooru (Japanese) – football (English)

(b) tréning (Hungarian) – training (English)

(c) luna de miel (Spanish “moon of honey”) – honeymoon (English)

(d) jardin d’enfants (French “garden of children”) – Kindergarten

(German “children garden”)

• a) This pair is not a calque. "Footobooru" is a phonetic borrowing from English, not a literal translation.

• (b) This pair is not a calque. "Tréning" is a direct borrowing and adaptation of the English word.

• (c) This is a calque. The Spanish phrase is a literal translation of the English term "honeymoon."

• (d) This is a calque. The French term "jardin d’enfants" is a literal translation of the German "Kindergarten."

7 Can you identify the different word-formation processes involved in producing each of the underlined words in these sentences?

(a) Don’t they ever worry that they might get AIDS?

(b) That’s really fandamntastic!

(c) These new skateboards from Zee Designs are kickass.

(d) When I’m ill, I want to see a doc, not a vet.

(e) The house next door was burgled when I was babysitting the Smiths’

children.

(f) I like this old sofa – it’s nice and comfy.

(g) I think Robyn said she’d like a toastie for brekky.

(h) You don’t need to button it because it’s got velcro inside.

(a) AIDS

• Acronyms

(b) fandamntastic

• Blending: 

(c) kickass

• Compounding: 

(d) doc

• Clipping:

(e) burgled

• Backformation: 

(f) comfy

• Clipping: 

(g) toastie, brekky

• Coinage/Clipping:

(h) velcro

• Brand Name (Coinage): 

8 Identify the prefixes and suffixes used in these words: misfortune, terrorism, carelessness, disagreement, ineffective, unfaithful, prepackaged, biodegradable, reincarnation, decentralization

• misfortune: Prefix: mis  

                        Suffix: tune

• terrorism: Prefix: terror 

                      Suffix: ism

• carelessness: Prefix: care 

                              Suffix: less, ness

• disagreement: Prefix: dis

                              Suffix: ment

• ineffective: Prefix: in

                        Suffix: ive

• unfaithful: Prefix: un

                       Suffix: ful

• prepackaged: Prefix: "pre

                             Suffix: ed

• biodegradable: Prefix: bio

                               Suffix: able

• reincarnation: Prefix: re 

                             Suffix: ation

• decentralization: Prefix: de

                                  Suffix: zation

9 In Khmu, the word kap means “to grasp with tongs,” and tiap means “tofold a small package.” What would be the words for “tongs” and “a small package”?

-> I don't know the answer.

10 More than one process was involved in the creation of the forms underlined in these sentences. Can you identify the processes involved in each case?

(a) Can you FedEx the books to me today?

(b) Police have reported an increase in carjackings in recent months.

(c) Jeeves, could you tell the maid to be sure to hoover the bedroom

carpet?

(d) I had to temp for a while before I got a real job.

(e) Is your friend Ian still blogging?

(f) Would you prefer a decaf?

-> (a) FedEx

• Coinage (brand name) + Backformation (verb usage).

(b) carjackings

• Compounding (car + jack) + Derivation (jack + -ing).

(c) hoover

• Coinage (brand name) + Backformation (verb usage).

(d) temp

• Clipping (temporary) + Conversion (noun and verb).

(e) blogging

• Derivation (blog + -ing) + Compounding (blend of web + log).

(f) decaf

• Clipping (decaffeinated coffee) + Compounding (conceptually).