Understanding word formation: How are new words created

What is word formation?

Word formation refers to the processes by which new words are created in a language. Languages are dynamic and constantly evolving, and word formation is a key mechanism that allows them to adapt to cultural, technological, and social changes. By combining existing elements (roots, prefixes, suffixes) or repurposing words, speakers can invent terms to describe new concepts, objects, or experiences.

For example, the word "selfie" emerged in the early 2000s to describe a self-portrait photo taken with a smartphone. It combines the root "self" with the suffix "-ie," a colloquial ending often used in informal contexts (e.g., "foodie," "newbie"). Similarly, "blog" is a blend of "web" and "log," reflecting its origin as an online journal.

Word formation is crucial for both everyday communication and specialized fields like science, where terms like "biodegradable" (bio- + degrade + -able) or "nanotechnology" (nano- + technology) are coined to describe innovations.

Some common processes used to create new words

Below are the most frequent processes used to create new words. This is how you can create your own words.

Compounding - Combining two or more existing words to form a new term. Examples: sunflower (sun + flower), smartphone (smart + phone), bittersweet (bitter + sweet).

Affixation - Adding prefixes (before a root) or suffixes (after a root) to modify meaning. Prefixes examples: un- (undo, unhappy), re- (rewrite, replay). Suffixes examples: -ness (happiness, darkness), -able (readable, breakable).

Blending - Merging parts of two words to create a new one. Examples: brunch (breakfast + lunch), smog (smoke + fog), frenemy (friend + enemy).

Clipping - Shortening a longer word without changing its meaning. Examples: ad (advertisement), lab (laboratory), flu (influenza).

Conversion - Using a word in a new grammatical category without altering its form. Examples - Google (noun -> verb: "I'll Google it."), email (noun -> verb: "Email me the details.").

Borrowing - Adopting words from other languages. Examples: café (French), karaoke (Japanese), schadenfreude (German).

Acronyms & Initialisms - Creating words from the initial letters of phrases. Acronym examples (pronounced as words): NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). Initialism examples (pronounced letter by letter): CEO (Chief Executive Officer), ASAP (As Soon As Possible).

Onomatopoeia - Forming words that imitate sounds. Examples: buzz, sizzle, meow.

When to use word formation

Word formation are used vastly in our everyday life. Regular people like natives tend to use them more than regular english schools use to teach them. They can be used in a variety of contexts and situations in English. Some situations where word formation are commonly used on casual conversations, like "adulting" for behaving responsibly, or "Hangry" - blend of "hungry" + "angry". Word formation is also used widely on formal situations. Phrases like "We were unprepared for the unanticipated challenges we faced during the project" or "The concert was indeed a delightful moment" are examples of them. Word formation is used to reflect cultural or social trends as well, like "Brexit" (Britain + exit), and "eco-frindly" (ecology + friendly).

Word formation should be avoided in situations where it could lead to confusion or misunderstanding among the audience. For example, "Grok", this word was proposed by author Robert Heinlein in his novel "Stranger in a Strange land.". It means to understand something intuitively or empathetically. While the author intended it as a concise and intuitive way to convey this idea, it can be unclear and confusing to readers who aren't familiar with the book or the meaning of the word. Creating a new word by combining two existing words might be ambiguous or confusing if the meaning is not clear. Additionally, creating new words just for the sake of being creative or sounding facny can be seen as unnecessary and pretentious in formal and profesional settings. An example is "chillax" (chill + relax). It was meant to be catchy and casual to convey the idea of "chilling out", but it won't fit well in a formal situation.

How to evaluate my knowledge on word formation

Word formation can differ in complexity and usage based on a person's English level. Beginner English students may be introduced to simpler ones, such as "unfold", while intermediate and advanced learners may be exposed to more complex ones, like "nephophobia". Native speakers often have an intuitive understanding of words formation and can use most common ones effortlessly, while others can have a hard time to guess the meaning or use them in their speech when come accross uncommon and more complex word formations. Non-native speakers may need more practice and study to fully master these expressions.

One simple way to check your current knowledge level of word formation is by testing your skills with this multi-level quiz:

Try out to guess what are the expressions on the sentences gaps below:

1. She packed her books in her ______. (school + bag)

2. I'll meet you in the ______ for the new product. (advertisement)

3. The story was so ______ that no one doubted it. (believe + -able)

4. Let's have ______ at 11 AM today. (breakfast + lunch)

5. Can you ______ the address for me? (Google)

6. Her kindness is ______; no one else can match it. (replace + -able)

The UK's ______ from the EU caused major political shifts. (Britain + exit)

We ordered ______ at the Japanese restaurant. (raw fish dish)

He's a popular ______ on TikTok, sharing investment tips. (finance + influencer)

Sentences from 1 to 3 uses beginner level word formation. Their answers are: 1."schoolbag (compounding: school + bag)"; 2. "ad (clipping: advertisement -> ad)"; 3. "unbelievable (affixation: believe + -able + un-)". Sentences 4 to 6 are intermediate level, their answers are: 4. "brunch (blending: breakfast + lunch)"; 5. "google (conversion: noun -> verb)"; 6. "irreplaceable (affixation: replace + -able + ir-)". Sentence 7 to 9 are advanced level, their answers are: 7. "Brexit (blending: Britain + exit + political context)"; 8. "sushi (borrowing: from Japanese)"; 9. "finfluencer (blending: finance + influencer)". Check how much you guessed right on each level and you will have a clue on how much you know and which is your current knowledge level on words formation. Of course this is a very simple test and it is very high biased. You should take a longer test, using a wide range of words formation to have a more accurate score.

Ways to improve my knowledge on word formation

Word formation is a living, breathing aspect of language that reflects human creativity and adaptability. While it's impossible to memorize every new term, understanding the patterns behind their creation empowers you to decode unfamiliar words and even coin your own. Whether you're a language learner, a writer, or simply a curious communicator, paying attention to how words are formed will deepen your appreciation for the ever-evolving nature of language. Given this information, you will notice how hard it could be to learn them. To make it doable, you should consider the purpose of your language use case and your current level on word formation. Search for lists of common used formed words in the environment you need to be talking and using them, is it a business office? Is is a casual conversation? Prioritize words relevant to your life.

You could learn them by listening to podcasts, watching videos on youtube or reading online news focused on the audience you are looking to be part of. Focusing situations and audience will shrink the amount of common used word formation you have to learn. Don't be afraid on not kowing all of things you hear or read. It is almost impossible to know them all. Don't be afraid to ask or search online the meaning of new expressions. Ask natives: Clarify new words you hear in conversations. Stay curious: Note down unfamiliar words in a "expression diary." Finally, embrace mistakes: Misusing "inflammable" (which means "easily flammable") as "not flammable" becomes a funny learning moment! Or, perhaps, in this case, a dangerous situation. Be carefull"

Learninn is a great way to get in touch with words formation. Articles and videos hosted on our platform include most common words, if not all existent ones. Every content consumed on our platform is recorded and used in the future for your learning.