Tuning morphosemantic transparency by shortening
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Elke Ronneberger-Sibold
Abstract
The central claim of this paper is that, besides phonological optimization, a major function of shortening words by different techniques such as clipping or acronymy is a controlled reduction of morphosemantic transparency in lexical domains, where partly or entirely opaque words are preferred to completely transparent ones. E.g., the functions of uniquely identifying and individualizing a referent by a proper name are better fulfilled by opaque labeling than by a transparent descriptive nomination. In fact, a study of shortening techniques used for official and commercial proper names contrasted with non-onymic words from the general lexicon and certain jargons in German, Farsi and Standard Chinese, three languages extremely different with respect to linguistic type and writing system, reveals a clear contrast between highly transparent shortenings preferred in the non-onymic lexicon versus less transparent or even opaque ones in the proper names, although the preferred shortening techniques themselves vary from language to language.
Abstract
The central claim of this paper is that, besides phonological optimization, a major function of shortening words by different techniques such as clipping or acronymy is a controlled reduction of morphosemantic transparency in lexical domains, where partly or entirely opaque words are preferred to completely transparent ones. E.g., the functions of uniquely identifying and individualizing a referent by a proper name are better fulfilled by opaque labeling than by a transparent descriptive nomination. In fact, a study of shortening techniques used for official and commercial proper names contrasted with non-onymic words from the general lexicon and certain jargons in German, Farsi and Standard Chinese, three languages extremely different with respect to linguistic type and writing system, reveals a clear contrast between highly transparent shortenings preferred in the non-onymic lexicon versus less transparent or even opaque ones in the proper names, although the preferred shortening techniques themselves vary from language to language.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
-
Editors’ introduction
- Morphology and meaning 3
-
Plenary papers
- Roots, concepts, and word structure 49
- Between word formation and meaning change 71
- Indirect coding 97
-
Section papers
- Diachrony and the polysemy of derivational affixes 127
- Possessive compounds in Slavic and the Principle of Integrated Meronymy 141
- Relation diversity and ease of processing for opaque and transparent English compounds 153
- Inflection vs. derivation 163
- Discrepancy between form and meaning in word-formation 177
- Compounds vs. phrases 191
- Semantic transparency, compounding, and the nature of independent variables 205
- The layering of form and meaning in creole word-formation 223
- Semantic headedness and categorization of - cum - compounds 239
- German plural doublets with and without meaning differentiation 249
- On the form and meaning of double noun incorporation 259
- Tuning morphosemantic transparency by shortening 275
- Root transparency and the morphology-meaning interface 289
- Mimetic verbs and meaning 303
- Mismatch verbs 315
- The canonical function of the deponent verbs in modern Greek 331
- Language index 345
- Subject index 347
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
-
Editors’ introduction
- Morphology and meaning 3
-
Plenary papers
- Roots, concepts, and word structure 49
- Between word formation and meaning change 71
- Indirect coding 97
-
Section papers
- Diachrony and the polysemy of derivational affixes 127
- Possessive compounds in Slavic and the Principle of Integrated Meronymy 141
- Relation diversity and ease of processing for opaque and transparent English compounds 153
- Inflection vs. derivation 163
- Discrepancy between form and meaning in word-formation 177
- Compounds vs. phrases 191
- Semantic transparency, compounding, and the nature of independent variables 205
- The layering of form and meaning in creole word-formation 223
- Semantic headedness and categorization of - cum - compounds 239
- German plural doublets with and without meaning differentiation 249
- On the form and meaning of double noun incorporation 259
- Tuning morphosemantic transparency by shortening 275
- Root transparency and the morphology-meaning interface 289
- Mimetic verbs and meaning 303
- Mismatch verbs 315
- The canonical function of the deponent verbs in modern Greek 331
- Language index 345
- Subject index 347
