Word & Word-formation

Processes
•Conversion
•Acronyms
•Derivation Prefixes
Suffixes
Infixes

Multiple Processes
 Conversion
To convert: to change the
function of a word

Conversion Forms:
• nouns verbs e.g let’s party, to water the
flowers , to sun yourself….
• verbs nouns e.g: give it a try, a must-see
movie, a cry for help
• adj. verbs e.g: clean….to clean
• adv. verbs / nouns e.g: the salesperson
upped the price/ life is
full of ups and downs
 ACRONYMS
• Words that are formed by taking the initials of a phrase
making and pronouncing it as a new word, usually written in
CAPITAL letters.

e.g: ASBO, FIFA, ASH, CSA, OPEC, NASA, UNICEF,

UNESCO, NATO, Scuba,..

• Compare: abbreviation
SPCA, USB, DSL, URL, ATM, WHO, HTML, FBI, CSI, DNA, BBC,
CNN,…
• Other types:
Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization
NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People
 Derivation
Most Common
• Making a new word by adding “affixes” to
the root word.
• (prefixes/ infixes/ suffixes)

absobloodylutely handful
rewrite
Unconciousness, slugg-ish-ness
antiestablishmentarianism
 Multiple Processes
• Combining more than one process in one single word

e.g: answer-phone
(compounding + clipping)
isobar
(compounding + acronym)
slangy/ slangish
(blending + derivation)
 :Made and Presented by

May Mustafa Fouad Ra’fat

3rd year, General
English Dept.
Faculty of Education
Alexandria University
DR. Mona Eid