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In linguistics, clipping, also called truncation or shortening, is word formation by removing some segments of an existing word to create a diminutive word or a clipped compound. Clipping differs from abbreviation, which is based on a shortening of the written, rather than the spoken, form of an existing word or phrase. Clipping is also different from back-formation, which proceeds by (pseudo-)morpheme rather than segment, and where the new word may differ in sense and word class from its source. In English, clipping may extend to contraction, which mostly involves the elision of a vowel that is replaced by an apostrophe in writing.
Creation
According to Hans Marchand, clippings are not coined as words belonging to the of a language. They typically originate as synonyms within the jargon or slang of an in-group, such as schools, army, police, and the medical profession. For example, exam(ination), math(ematics), and lab(oratory) originated in school slang; spec(ulation) and tick(et = credit) in stock-exchange slang; and vet(eran) and cap(tain) in army slang. Clipped forms can pass into common usage when they are widely useful, becoming part of standard language, which most speakers would agree has happened with math/maths, lab, exam, phone (from telephone), fridge (from refrigerator), and various others. When their usefulness is limited to narrower contexts, they remain outside the standard register. Many, such as mani and pedi for manicure and pedicure or mic/mike for microphone, occupy a middle ground in which their appropriate register is a subjective judgment, but succeeding decades tend to see them become more widely used.
Types
According to , clipping mainly consists of the following types:
- Final clipping, which may include apocope
- Initial clipping, which may include apheresis, or procope
- Medial clipping, or syncope
- Complex clipping, creating clipped compounds
Final and initial clipping may be combined and result in curtailed words with the middle part of the prototype retained, which usually includes the syllable with primary stress. Examples: fridge (refrigerator), Polly (Apollinaris), rona (coronavirus), shrink (head-shrinker), tec (detective); also flu (which omits the stressed syllable of influenza), jams (retaining the binary noun -s of pajamas/pyjamas) or jammies (adding diminutive -ie).
Final
In a final clipping, the most common type in English, the beginning of the prototype is retained. The unclipped original may be either a simple or a composite. Examples include ad and advert (advertisement), cable (cablegram), doc (doctor), exam (examination), fax (facsimile), gas (gasoline), gym (gymnastics, gymnasium), memo (memorandum), mutt (muttonhead), pub (public house), pop (popular music), and clit (clitoris).: 109 An example of apocope in Israeli Hebrew is the word lehit, which derives from להתראות lehitraot, meaning "see you, goodbye".: 155
Initial
Initial (or fore) clipping retains the final part of the word. Examples: bot (robot), chute (parachute), roach (cockroach), gator (alligator), phone (telephone), pike (turnpike), varsity (university), net (Internet).
Medial
Words with the middle part of the word left out are few. They may be further subdivided into two groups: (a) words with a final-clipped stem retaining the functional morpheme: maths (mathematics), specs (spectacles); (b) contractions due to a gradual process of elision under the influence of rhythm and context. Thus, fancy (fantasy), ma'am (madam), and fo'c'sle may be regarded as accelerated forms.
Complex
Clipped forms are also used in compounds. One part of the original compound most often remains intact. Examples are: cablegram (cable telegram), op art (optical art), org-man (organization man), linocut (linoleum cut). Sometimes both halves of a compound are clipped as in navicert (navigation certificate). In these cases it is difficult to know whether the resultant formation should be treated as a clipping or as a blend, for the border between the two types is not always clear. According to Bauer (1983), the easiest way to draw the distinction is to say that those forms which retain compound stress are clipped compounds, whereas those that take simple word stress are not. By this criterion bodbiz, Chicom, Comsymp, Intelsat, midcult, pro-am, photo op, sci-fi, and sitcom are all compounds made of clippings.
See also
- Abbreviation
- Acronym
- Blend word
- Clipping (phonetics)
- Compound (linguistics)
- Contraction (grammar)
- Diminutive
- Word formation
References
- "Shortenings". Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on May 10, 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
- NAGANO, AKIKO (2007). "Marchand's Analysis of Back-Formation Revisited" (PDF). Acta Linguistica Hungarica. 54 (1): 33–72. doi:10.1556/ALing.54.2007.1.2. ISSN 1216-8076. JSTOR 26190112.
- Marchand, Hans (1969). The Categories and Types of Present-Day English Word-formation. München: C.H.Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung.
- Arnold, Irina (1986). The English word. Moscow: Высшая школа.
- Zuckermann, Ghil'ad (2003), Language Contact and Lexical Enrichment in Israeli Hebrew. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781403917232 / ISBN 9781403938695 [1]
- Bauer, Laurie (1983). English Word-Formation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Clipping morphology news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message In linguistics clipping also called truncation or shortening is word formation by removing some segments of an existing word to create a diminutive word or a clipped compound Clipping differs from abbreviation which is based on a shortening of the written rather than the spoken form of an existing word or phrase Clipping is also different from back formation which proceeds by pseudo morpheme rather than segment and where the new word may differ in sense and word class from its source In English clipping may extend to contraction which mostly involves the elision of a vowel that is replaced by an apostrophe in writing CreationAccording to Hans Marchand clippings are not coined as words belonging to the of a language They typically originate as synonyms within the jargon or slang of an in group such as schools army police and the medical profession For example exam ination math ematics and lab oratory originated in school slang spec ulation and tick et credit in stock exchange slang and vet eran and cap tain in army slang Clipped forms can pass into common usage when they are widely useful becoming part of standard language which most speakers would agree has happened with math maths lab exam phone from telephone fridge from refrigerator and various others When their usefulness is limited to narrower contexts they remain outside the standard register Many such as mani and pedi for manicure and pedicure or mic mike for microphone occupy a middle ground in which their appropriate register is a subjective judgment but succeeding decades tend to see them become more widely used TypesAccording to ru clipping mainly consists of the following types Final clipping which may include apocope Initial clipping which may include apheresis or procope Medial clipping or syncope Complex clipping creating clipped compounds Final and initial clipping may be combined and result in curtailed words with the middle part of the prototype retained which usually includes the syllable with primary stress Examples fridge refrigerator Polly Apollinaris rona coronavirus shrink head shrinker tec detective also flu which omits the stressed syllable of influenza jams retaining the binary noun s of pajamas pyjamas or jammies adding diminutive ie Final In a final clipping the most common type in English the beginning of the prototype is retained The unclipped original may be either a simple or a composite Examples include ad and advert advertisement cable cablegram doc doctor exam examination fax facsimile gas gasoline gym gymnastics gymnasium memo memorandum mutt muttonhead pub public house pop popular music and clit clitoris 109 An example of apocope in Israeli Hebrew is the word lehit which derives from להתראות lehitraot meaning see you goodbye 155 Initial Initial or fore clipping retains the final part of the word Examples bot robot chute parachute roach cockroach gator alligator phone telephone pike turnpike varsity university net Internet Medial Words with the middle part of the word left out are few They may be further subdivided into two groups a words with a final clipped stem retaining the functional morpheme maths mathematics specs spectacles b contractions due to a gradual process of elision under the influence of rhythm and context Thus fancy fantasy ma am madam and fo c sle may be regarded as accelerated forms Complex Clipped forms are also used in compounds One part of the original compound most often remains intact Examples are cablegram cable telegram op art optical art org man organization man linocut linoleum cut Sometimes both halves of a compound are clipped as in navicert navigation certificate In these cases it is difficult to know whether the resultant formation should be treated as a clipping or as a blend for the border between the two types is not always clear According to Bauer 1983 the easiest way to draw the distinction is to say that those forms which retain compound stress are clipped compounds whereas those that take simple word stress are not By this criterion bodbiz Chicom Comsymp Intelsat midcult pro am photo op sci fi and sitcom are all compounds made of clippings See alsoAbbreviation Acronym Blend word Clipping phonetics Compound linguistics Contraction grammar Diminutive Word formationReferences Shortenings Oxford Dictionaries Online Oxford Oxford University Press Archived from the original on May 10 2010 Retrieved 23 November 2010 NAGANO AKIKO 2007 Marchand s Analysis of Back Formation Revisited PDF Acta Linguistica Hungarica 54 1 33 72 doi 10 1556 ALing 54 2007 1 2 ISSN 1216 8076 JSTOR 26190112 Marchand Hans 1969 The Categories and Types of Present Day English Word formation Munchen C H Beck sche Verlagsbuchhandlung Arnold Irina 1986 The English word Moscow Vysshaya shkola Zuckermann Ghil ad 2003 Language Contact and Lexical Enrichment in Israeli Hebrew Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 9781403917232 ISBN 9781403938695 1 Bauer Laurie 1983 English Word Formation Cambridge Cambridge University Press
