Processes of Word Formations

According to Crystal, there are four normal methods of forming new words in the English language. The four methods are prefixation, suffixation, conversion, and compounding. There are also four less common methods: reduplication, clippings, acronyms, with the subgroup alphabetism, and blends.

Prefixes are one of the common ways to make new words in the English language. According to Crystal, a prefixation is “an affix is placed before the base of the word” (1997, p. 90). All prefixes have their own meanings. When added to the beginning of base word, the prefix creates a new word and a new meaning for that word (see Table 1). For example, the word anti means “against or opposite” (Harris, 2004). We can put the word anti in front of the base word biotic, which means “of or related to life” (Merriam-Webster, 2004). When we do this, we make a new word antibiotic, which means “tending to prevent, inhibit or destroy life” (Merriam-Webster, 2004).

Another example of prefixation is the word devoid. According to Harris, de means from, down, or away (2004). This prefix can be added to the base word void, which means “being without” (Merriam-Webster, 2004). When put together, the word devoid is formed, which means “being without a usual, typical, or expected attribute or accompaniment” (Merriam-Webster, 2004). According to Merriam-Webster, the word devoid has three different origins. There is a Middle English origin, where it is the past participle of devoiden, meaning to dispel. The second origin stated by Merriam-Webster is that devoid also comes from Middle French desvuidier, meaning to empty. The last origin stated by Merriam-Webster is from the Old French word des, (dis- + vuidier), which means to empty (2004).