构词法知识要点与练习

Chapter 4 Word Formation
Part I：知识要点
The expansion of vocabulary in modern English depends chiefly on word-formation.Not all the words that are produced by applying the rules are acceptable.Rules only provide a constant set of models from which new words are created from day to day.
现代英语词汇的扩充主要依靠构词法。

并不是所有应用规则产生的单词都是可接受的。

规则只提供了一组固定的模型，从这些模型中可以日复一日地创建新单词。

Rules themselves are not fixed but undergo changes.
affixation 30%-40% ，compounding 28%-30% ，conversion 26% ，shortening 8%-10% ，（clipping and acronymy）blending and others 1%-5%
I. Affixation
Affixation （也叫Derivation）：the formation of words by adding word forming or derivational affixes to stems. （derivative派生词）According to their position，affixation falls into：prefixation（前缀法）and suffixation（后缀法）.
I.1. Prefixation—— the formation of new words by adding prefixes to stems. It does not change the word-class of the stem but change its meaning.
通过在词干上加前缀来形成新词。

它并不改变词干的词类，而是改变词干的意义。

1.Negative prefixes：
– a- （abnormal），dis- （disobey），in- （il-，ir-，im-）（injustice），non- （non-smoker），un- （unwilling）un- are the most productive and can usually replace in- or dis- with adj.
2. Reversative or privative prefixes 逆反前缀：
– de- （decentralize），dis- （disunite），un- （unwrap）
3. Pejorative prefixes（贬义的前缀）：
– mal- （maltreat），mis- （mistrust），pseudo- （pseudo-science）
4.Prefixes of degree or size：表程度或大小的前缀
– arch- （archbishop），extra-（extra-strong），hyper-（hyperactive），macro- （macrocosm），micro- （microcomputer），mini- （mini-election），out- （outlive），over- （overweigh），sub- （subheading），super- （superfreeze），sur- （surtax），ultra- （ultra-conservative），under-（underdeveloped）
5.Prefixes of orientation and attitude：倾向、方向和态度前缀
– anti- （anti-nuclear），contra- （contraflow），counter-，pro-（pro-student）
6.Locative prefixes ：方位前缀
– extra- （extraordinary），fore- （forehead），inter- （inter-city），intra- （intra-party），tele-，trans-
7.Prefixes of time and order：时间和顺序的前缀
– ex- （ex-wife），fore- （foretell），pre-，re- （reconsider）
8.Number Prefixes：数字前缀
– bi-，multi- （poly-）（multi-purpose），semi- （hemi-），tri- （tricycle），uni-（mono-）（uniform）
9.Miscellaneous prefixes：其他类型的前缀
– auto-，neo- （neo-Nazi），pan- （pan-European），vice-
I.2. Suffixation ——Suffixation is the formation of new words by adding suffixes to stems. Change the grammatical function of stems （the word class）. Suffixes can be grouped on a grammatical basis.后缀发是通过在词干中添加后缀来形成新词。

改变词干(词类)的语法功能。

后缀可以根据语法分组。

I.2.1.Noun suffixes名词后缀
Denominal nouns来自名词的名词后缀（名词+suffix ——名词）
a. Concrete（表具体）—— -eer （engineer），-er （teenager），-ess （hostess），-ette （cigarette），-let （booklet）
b. Abstract （表抽象）——-age （wastage），-dom （处于…状态）（officialdom），-ery （slavery），-ery （-ry），-hood （childhood），-ing （farming），- ism（…主义）（terrorism），-ship（状态）（sportsmanship）Deverbal nouns 来自动词的名词后缀（动词+suffix——名词）
a. Denoting people表示人——-ant （assistant），-ee （trainee），-ent （respondent），-er（-or）
b. Denoting action，result，process，state，ect. 表示动作、结果、过程、状态——-age （linkage），-al （dismissal），-ance （attendance），-ation （-ition，-tion，-sion，-ion），-ence （existence），-ing （savings），-ment （statement）
De-adjective nouns来自形容词的名词后缀（形容词+suffix——名词）——-ity （popularity），-ness （happiness）
Nouns and adjectives suffixes —— -ese （Chinese），-an （Australian），-ist （主义）（socialist）
I.2.2.Adjective suffixes形容词后缀
Denominal suffixes来自名词的形容词后缀：
-ed （wooded），-ful （successful），-ish （foolish），-less （priceless），-like （lady-like），-ly （friendly），-y （smoky）
-al（-ial，-ical）（cultural，residential），-esque （picturesque），-ic （economic），-ous（-eous，-ious）（coutageous）
-ic and –ical can be affixed to the stem in some cases，but differ in meaning.
Historic （important in history）historical （of history）
Classic （great，memorable）classical （of Latin or Greek）
Comic （of comedy）comical （funny）
Economic （in the economy）economical （money-saving）
Electric （powered by electricity）electrical （of electricity）
Deverbal suffixes来自动词的形容词后缀—— -able （-ible）（washable），-ive（-ative，-sive）（active，decisive）
I.2.3.Adverb suffixes副词后缀：
-ly （calmly），-ward（s）（homewards），-wise （clockwise）
I.2.4.Verb suffixes动词后缀：
-ate（originate），-en （darken），-（i）fy （beautify），-ize （ise）（modernize）
pounding （Composition）合成法
Compounding is a process of word-formation by joining two or more stems.复合是两个或两个以上的词干连接而成的构词法。

Compound：a lexical unit consisting of more than one stem and functioning both grammatically and semantically as a single word.
复合词:由一个以上的词干组成的一个词汇单位，在语法和语义上都是一个词。

Part II：练习
I．Each of the statements below is followed by four alternative answers. Choose the one that would best complete the statement.
1.The prefixes in the words of ir resistible, non classical and a political are called
_______.
A.reversative prefixes
B. negative prefixes
C. pejorative prefixes
D. locative
prefixes
2.The prefixes contained in the following words are called ______: pseudo-friend,
mal practice, mis trust.
A. reversative prefixed
B. negative prefixes
C. pejorative prefixes
D. locative prefixes
3.The prefixed contained in un wrap, de-compose and dis allow are _________.
A. reversative prefixed
B. negative prefixes
C. pejorative prefixes
D. locative prefixes
4.The prefixes in words extra-strong, overweight and arch bishop are _____ .
A . negative prefixes B. prefixes of degree or size C. pejorative prefixes D. locative prefixes
5.The prefixes in words bi lingual ,uni form and hemis phere are ________.
A. number prefixes
B. prefixes of degree or size
C. pejorative prefixes
D.
locative prefixes
6.________ are contained in words trans-world, intra-party and fore head.
A.Prefixes of orientation and attitude
B. Prefixes of time and order
C. Locative prefixes
D. Prefixes of degree or size
7. Rugby ,afghan and champagne are words coming from ________.
s of books
B. names of places
C. names of people
D. tradenames
8. Omega,Xerox and orlon are words from _________.
s of books
B. names of places
C. names of people
D. tradenames
9.Ex-student, fore tell and post-election contain________.
A.negative prefixes
B. prefixes of degree or size
C. prefixes of time and order
D. locative prefixes
2.Mackintosh, bloomers and cherub are from _______
A. names of books
B. names of places
C. names of people
D. tradenames
3.The prefixes in words new-Nazi, autobiography and pan-European are ________.
A.negative prefixes
B. prefixes of degree or size
C. prefixes of time and order
D. miscellaneous prefixes
4.The prefixes in words anti-government , pro student and contra flow are _____-.
A.prefixes of degree or size
B. prefixes of orientation and attitude
C. prefixes of time and order
D. miscellaneous prefixes
5.Utopia ,odyssey and Babbit are words from ________.
s of books
B. names of places
C. names of people
D. tradenames
6.The suffixes in words clockwise, homewards are ______.
A. noun suffixes
B. verb suffixes
C. adverb suffixes
D. adjective suffixes
7.The suffixes in words height en, symbol ize are ________.
A.noun suffixes
B. verb suffixes
C. adverb suffixes
D. adjective suffixes
II. Complete the following statements with proper words or expressions.
16. Affixation is generally defined as the formation of words by adding word-forming or derivational affixes to stem. This process is also known as_____.
pounding , also called ________, is the formation of new words by joining two or more stems . Words formed in this way are called _________.
18. __________ is the formation of new words by converting words of one class to another class.
19. _________ is the formation of new words by combining parts of two words or a word plus a part of another word . Words formed in this way are called blends or _____words.
20 A common way of making a word is to shorten a longer word by cutting a part off the original and using what remains instead. This is called _______.
III. Match the words or expressions in Column A with those in Column B according to types of suffixation.
A B
21. Concrete denominal noun suffixes( ) A. priceless
22. Abstract denominal noun suffixes ( ) B. downward
23. Deverbal noun suffixes(denoting people.)() C. engineer
24. Deverbal nouns suffixes( denoting action,etc) （） D. darken
25. De-adjective noun suffixes（）Ｅviolinist
26. Noun and adjective suffixes ( ) F.happiness
27. Denominal adjective suffixes ( ) G. arguable
28. Deverbal adjective suffixes ( ) H.dependent
29. Adverb suffixes ( ) I. adulthood
30. Verb suffixes ( ) J. survival
IV. Study the following words or expressions and identify 1) types of clipping 2) types of acronymy and write the full terms.
31.quake ( ) 32. stereo ( ) 33. flu ( ) 34. pub ( ) 35.
c/o ( )
36. V-day ( ) 37. TB ( ) 38. disco ( ) 39.copter ( ) 40.
perm ( )
IV. Define the following terms .
41. acronymy 42. back-formation 43. initialisms
44. prefixation 45. suffixation
VI. Answer the following questions with examples.
46. What are the characteristics of compounds ?
47. What are the main types of blendings ?
48. What are the main types of compounds ?
VII. Analyze and comment on the following:
49. Use the following examples to explain the types of back-formation.
(1) donate ----donation emote----emotion
(2) loaf—loafer beg------beggar
(3) eavesdrop---eavesdropping babysit---babysitter
(4) drowse—drowsy laze---lazy
50. Read the following sentence and identify the types of conversion of the italicized words.
(1) I’m very grateful for your help.
(2) The rich must help the poor.
(3)His argument contains too many ifs and buts.
(4) They are better housed and clothed.
(5) The photograph yellowed with age.
(6) We downed a few beers.
Key to exercises :
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. A
6.C
7.B
8.D
9.C 10.C 11.D 12.B 13.A
14.C 15.B
II. 16. derivation position, compounds 18. Conversion 19. Blending(pormanteau) 20.clipping
III. 21.C 22. I 23. H 24. J 25.F 26.E 27.A 28.G 29.B 30.D
IV.31. Front clipping, earthquake
32. Back clipping, stereophonic
33.Front and back clipping, influenza
34.Phrase clipping, public house
35. Initialisms, care of
36. Acronyms, Victory Day
37. Initialisms, tuberculosis
38. Back clipping, discotheque
39. Front clipping, helicopter
40. Phrase clipping, permanent waves
V-VI. (See the course book)
VII.49. There are mainly four types of back-formation.
(1)From abstract nouns (2) From human nouns (3) From compound nouns and others
(4) From adjectives
50. (1)Verb to noun (2) Adjective to noun (3) Miscellaneous conversion to noun (4 ) Noun to verb (5) Adjective (6) Miscellaneous conversion to verb。