Chapter 2 - Academic Vocabulary

Chapter 2: Academic Vocabulary

2c: Word Formation

We often come across new words or technical terms in different subjects. An awareness of word formation processes enables us to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words in academic contexts.

This part will introduce the following common word formation processes:

i) affixation (prefixes and suffixes)
ii) compounding
iii) clipping
iv) blending
v) borrowing (loan words)

iii) Clipping
A clipped word is a shortened word extracted from a longer original form. Clipped words can be formed based on one or two words. Here are some examples:

Original Words	Clipped Words
influenza	flu
Internet	net
gymnasium	gym
dormitory	dorm

Clipped words are considered less formal and the original form tends to be used in academic contexts.
e.g. Influenza is a contagious illness caused by viral infection of the respiratory system.

Answers

	Answers
1.	examinations
2.	Science fiction
3.	laboratory
4.	memorandum
5.	advertisements

Activity 7

Turn the clipped words underlined in the following sentences into their original form to suit the academic contexts.

	Sentences	Answers
1.	According to Zeidner (1998), students’ stress and anxiety increase when they are required to complete time-constrained exams.
2.	Sci-fi is a literary genre that typically deals with an imagined future and space travel.
3.	There has been a steady decline in lab tests on animals over the last decade because of criticism from animal rights activists.
4.	A memo is a written message typically used in a professional setting. In a legal context, it can also mean the record of transaction or contract terms.
5.	Celebrity endorsement is an effective strategy widely used in ads to gain customer attention and incite their desires to buy the products.