Word creation
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Elke Ronneberger-Sibold
Abstract
In this paper, the term “word creation” refers to all operations for the production of new lexemes which are not covered by regular word formation. It includes the coining of sound symbolic words as well as shortening, alienation, extragrammatical derivation, and blending. These so-called creative techniques are considered as intentional extragrammatical operations in the framework of Natural Morphology. Their linguistic status is discussed in contradistinction to regular grammatical word formation and to unintentional extragrammatical operations occurring, e.g., during language acquisition. The primary functions of word creation are a controlled reduction of transparency, and the production of sound shapes with special characteristics, which are difficult to produce by regular word formation. Typical fields of application are different kinds of (mostly humorous) literary texts, brand names, and others. A comprehensive typology of creative techniques is developed on the basis of a large corpus of German brand names.
Abstract
In this paper, the term “word creation” refers to all operations for the production of new lexemes which are not covered by regular word formation. It includes the coining of sound symbolic words as well as shortening, alienation, extragrammatical derivation, and blending. These so-called creative techniques are considered as intentional extragrammatical operations in the framework of Natural Morphology. Their linguistic status is discussed in contradistinction to regular grammatical word formation and to unintentional extragrammatical operations occurring, e.g., during language acquisition. The primary functions of word creation are a controlled reduction of transparency, and the production of sound shapes with special characteristics, which are difficult to produce by regular word formation. Typical fields of application are different kinds of (mostly humorous) literary texts, brand names, and others. A comprehensive typology of creative techniques is developed on the basis of a large corpus of German brand names.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- Editors’ introduction 1
- Affixation vs. conversion. 15
- The -alis/-aris allomorphy revisited 33
- French property nouns based on toponyms or ethnic adjectives 53
- Morphological variation in the construction of French names for inhabitants 75
- The invisible hand of grammaticalization 89
- Paradigmatic realignment and morphological change 107
- Areal-typological aspects of word-formation 129
- Variation and change in morphology and syntax 149
- Optional multiple plural marking in Maay 177
- Lettered words 193
- Word creation 201
- Pleonastic morphology dies hard 217
- Index of languages and terms 245
- Index of subjects and terms 247
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- Editors’ introduction 1
- Affixation vs. conversion. 15
- The -alis/-aris allomorphy revisited 33
- French property nouns based on toponyms or ethnic adjectives 53
- Morphological variation in the construction of French names for inhabitants 75
- The invisible hand of grammaticalization 89
- Paradigmatic realignment and morphological change 107
- Areal-typological aspects of word-formation 129
- Variation and change in morphology and syntax 149
- Optional multiple plural marking in Maay 177
- Lettered words 193
- Word creation 201
- Pleonastic morphology dies hard 217
- Index of languages and terms 245
- Index of subjects and terms 247
