Word Formation Questions Long
Back-formation in word formation refers to the process of creating a new word by removing what appears to be an affix or a morpheme from an existing word. This process is often driven by a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the original word's structure.
In back-formation, a word that is mistakenly perceived as a derivative is treated as the base form, and a new word is formed by removing what is believed to be an affix. This can result in the creation of a new word that may or may not have existed before.
For example, the word "editor" is derived from the noun "edit" through the addition of the suffix "-or." However, if someone were to mistakenly assume that "editor" is the base form and that "-or" is a suffix, they might create the back-formation "edit" by removing the perceived suffix "-or." In reality, "edit" is not a valid word in this context, but the process of back-formation has led to its creation.
Back-formation can also occur when a word is mistakenly perceived as a compound word. For instance, the word "television" is often mistakenly believed to be a compound of "tele" and "vision." Based on this misconception, someone might create the back-formation "televise" by removing the perceived suffix "-ion." However, "televise" already exists as a valid word, and the back-formation is unnecessary.
Overall, back-formation is a process in word formation that involves the creation of a new word by removing what is mistakenly perceived as an affix or morpheme from an existing word. It is important to note that not all back-formations are valid or widely accepted, as they often arise from misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the original word's structure.