Summary
Summary
How new words are structured.
This unit looks at word formation, or morphology, to see some of the patterns in the way new technology words are made. In their word formation, spelling and pronunciation, new words are likely to be constrained by the lexis, phonology and grammar of the language: for example, it would be hard to have a word like 'cgsxhewltd', which would not fit with existing patterns of consonants, vowels, morpheme shapes, or spellings.
Linguists have developed a taxonomy or system for classifying types of word formation and the volume of new technical words coming into the language is an opportunity to see these classifications in action; it is also possible that there are some interesting differences in patterns of some of these new words.
Links: