Transitional Morphology

Combining Forms in Modern English

Elisa Mattiello (Università degli Studi, Pisa)

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English

Cambridge University Press
31 July 2025

Language: history & general works; Historical & comparative linguistics

Series: Studies in English Language

Combining Forms (CFs) are a major morphological phenomenon in Modern English, yet while they have been discussed in some morphological literature, no full-length study has been devoted to this topic so far. This pioneering book addresses that gap by providing a framework in which CFs are marked as distinct from their neighbouring categories such as abbreviations and blending. It splits CFs into four distinct categories – neoclassical (e.g. bio-therapy, zoo-logy), abbreviated (e.g. e-reader, econo-politics), secreted (e.g. oil-gate, computer-holic) and splinters (e.g. docu- from documentary in docudrama). It shows that the notion of CF spans a wide spectrum of processes, from regular composition to abbreviation, from blending to analogy, and schema. Modern and emerging English CFs are analysed by adopting a corpus-based approach, and measuring their realised, expanding, and potential productivity. Comprehensive yet accessible, it is essential reading for researchers and advanced students of morphology, English historical linguistics, corpus linguistics, and lexicography.

By: Elisa Mattiello (Università degli Studi Pisa)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781009168298
ISBN 10: 1009168290
Series: Studies in English Language
Pages: 254
Publication Date: 31 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. Introduction; 2. Background of combining forms; 3. Dataset and methodology; 4. Neoclassical combining forms; 5. Abbreviated combining forms; 6. Secreted combining forms; 7. Splinters or combining forms 'in the making'; 8. Conclusions.

Elisa Mattiello is Associate Professor of English Language and Linguistics at the University of Pisa. Notable publications include An Introduction to English Slang (2008), Extra-grammatical Morphology in English (2013), and Analogy in Word-formation (2017).