4.5 Clipping
Definition
■
Clipping is the formation of new
words by cutting a part off the orginal
and using what remains intead.
Eg. gas←gasoline, bus←monibus
■ Clipping
is of a character of using words
precisely and conveniently.
radar ← radio direction finding and range
laster ← light amplification by stimulated
emmission of radiation
Four common types
1.Front Clipping
plane ← aeroplane,airplane
wig ← periwig(假发）
2.Back Clipping
doc ← doctor, dorm ← dormitory
3.Front and Back Clipping
fridge ← re`frigerator, tec ← de`tective
4.Phrase Clipping
daily ← daily paper
perm ← permanent wave(烫发)
Other types of clipping
Syncope(词中省略)
One or two syllables are omit from a word
for the convenience and casualness.
eg. praps ← perhaps
pacifist ← pacificist(和平主义者)
Contractions（缩约形式）
eg. gov’t←government
rec’d←received
A few contractions only appear in poems.
eg. e’en←even,e’er←ever,
ne’er←never,o’er←over
Conlusion
• In some cases,clipping gives rise to
alterations in spelling and pronunciation to conform to the English ways
of spelling and pronunciation.
eg. mike←microphone
dub←double(为电影配音）
•Clipped words are not so formal as
original words,so they’re usually used
orally or in informal occasions,eg.lab,
maths,trig.
•Most clipped words have the same
meanings as the original,but a few
developed new meanings.
eg.
fan:enthusiastic admirer or support of
↑ sth./sb.（体育、电影等爱好者）
fanatic: person who is too enthusiastic
about sth. （狂热者，盲信者）
4.7 Back-formation
Definition

Back-formation is the method of creating
words by removing the supposed suffixes.
eg. schwindler → swindler → swindle
(German)
(骗子）
(行骗）

It’s considered to be the oppossite process of the
suffixation.
suffixation: imagine + -ation→imagination
back-formation: swindler－-er→swindle
Types of words
1.Abstract Nouns
eg. diagonse v. ←diagnosis n.
aggress v. ←aggression n.
2.Agential Nouns
eg.rove v. ←rover n.
beg v. ←beggar n.
edit v. ←editor n.
3.Adjectives
eg. frivol v. ←frivolous a.
drowse v. ←drowsy a.
4.Compound Nouns and Others
Compound nouns
eg. daydream v.←daydreamer n.
lip-read v.←lip-reading n.
Others
eg. maffick v.←Mafeking n.
（狂欢庆祝）（南非地名）
grovel v.←grovelling n.
（趴着）
（趴着地）
conclusion
Wors created through back-formation are mostly
verbs.Only few can be used as both nouns and verbs.
eg.
gloom n.← gloomy a. pup n.&v ← puppy a.
A number of back-formation word has become
common in English,eg,edit,beg.
However,back-formation words are largely informal
and some haven’t gain currency.So,we should use
them with care.