Derivation without Affixation

Essay from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics grade: 11 University of Cologne (Institut fr Englische Philologie) course: English Word Formation language: English abstract: The aim of the following essay is to expose the irregular character of derivation without affixation. To this end the derivational processes of conversion and shortening will be surveyed first and different types of shortenings will be scrutinised as to their heterogeneity; second the unpredictability of their output will be exposed and third it will be shown that no definite rules can be sustained; fourth a certain unifying approach to the consideration of irregularities will be outlined.