Word Formation Questions Medium
Back-formation is a process in word formation where a new word is created by removing what appears to be an affix from an existing word. This process involves the creation of a shorter word by removing a supposed affix, which is often mistakenly believed to be part of the original word.
The process of back-formation typically occurs when speakers of a language analyze a word incorrectly, assuming that a certain part of the word is an affix when it is not. This mistaken analysis leads to the creation of a new word by removing the perceived affix.
For example, the word "editor" is derived from the noun "edit" through back-formation. Speakers mistakenly assume that the "-or" suffix in "editor" is an affix, leading them to create the verb "edit" by removing the perceived suffix "-or" from "editor."
Back-formation can also occur with other types of affixes, such as prefixes. For instance, the word "televise" is derived from the noun "television" through back-formation. Speakers mistakenly assume that the prefix "tele-" in "television" is an affix, leading them to create the verb "televise" by removing the perceived prefix "tele-" from "television."
In summary, back-formation is a process in word formation where a new word is created by mistakenly removing what appears to be an affix from an existing word. This process often occurs due to a misanalysis of the word's structure, resulting in the creation of a shorter word.