Back-formation and its importance in English language with appropriate examples

Back-formation

(its importance in English language)

Q. Demonstrate the importance of back-formation in English language with appropriate examples

Answer: Back-formation is a linguistic process in which a new word is created by removing what appears to be a morpheme from an existing word. It is an important process in the evolution of the English language as it allows for the creation of new words that are more efficient and easier to use.

One example of back-formation in the English language is the word "donate." This word was created by removing the -ion suffix from the word "donation." The word "donation" was borrowed from French in the 15th century and was formed from the Latin word "donare," which means "to give." However, the suffix -tion was added to form the noun "donation," which means "the act of giving." Later, the verb "donate" was formed by back-formation, allowing speakers of English to express the same idea more efficiently.

Another example of back-formation in English is the word "edit." This word was created by removing the -or suffix from the word "editor." The word "editor" comes from the Latin word "edare," which means "to publish." However, the -or suffix was added to create the noun "editor," which means "a person who edits." Later, the verb "edit" was formed by back-formation, allowing speakers of English to express the same idea more efficiently.

Back-formation allows for the creation of new words that may not have existed before. For example, the word "televise" was formed by back-formation from the word "television." Before the word "televise" was created, there was no verb in English that meant "to broadcast on television."

Back-formation can also help to simplify complex words or phrases. For example, the word "burgle" was created by back-formation from the word "burglarize," which is a complex word formed by adding the suffix -ize to the word "burglar." "Burgle" is a simpler and more concise word that conveys the same meaning.

Back-formation is also useful in cases where a word may have entered the language through borrowing from another language, and a simpler, more English-sounding word is needed. For example, the word "champagne" was borrowed from French, but the word "champagne" can be difficult to use in English. Therefore, the back-formed word "champ" was created, which is easier to use and more natural-sounding in English.

In conclusion, back-formation is an important process in the evolution of the English language as it allows for the creation of new words that are more efficient and easier to use. It also allows for the creation of new words that may not have existed before, expanding the vocabulary of the English language.

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