This study is centred on morphological phenomena that seem to have recently expanded in terms of productivity and frequency, i.e. neologisms via formatives originated from established complex lexemes. For example, cityscape, lunarscape, seascape, townscape, waterscape, etc., which are all originated from established landscape. The etymology of the word scape is apparently simple: it is a back-formation from landscape, hence, generally used to denote ‘a (representation of a) scenic view’. Yet, when scape functions as an element of word-formation, it seems to pose serious problems within morphological classification, which varies according to both the morphotactics and the morphosemantics of the resulting combination. In some cases, -scape acts as a final combining form, as in cityscape (‘a view of a city, city scenery’) and its analogical formations (moonscape, seascape, townscape, etc.) (see Warren 1990, cf. Fradin 2000). In other cases, it acts as the second element of a blend, as suggested by new coinages such as Vietscape (< Vietnam landscape) and Ness-scape (< Loch Ness landscape) (cf. Thornton 1993). It finally acts as an acronym when abbreviating a phrase such as Soil Conservation And Protection for Europe or Study of Cultural Adaptations in the Prairie Ecozone. This paper investigates the case of scape both morphologically and semantically. In Section 1 scape is analysed from the point of view of extragrammatical morphology (Doleschal & Thornton eds. 2000, cf. Zwicky & Pullum 1987), morphotactic complexity (Merlini Barbaresi ed. 2003), and contrasted with natural morphology (Dressler et al. 1987, Kilani-Schoch 1988, Tonelli & Dressler 1993, Wurzel 1994, Dressler 1999a). Here an overview of such phenomena as combining forms, blends and acronyms is provided. In Section 2 scape is explored form the point of view of semantics. A semantic explanation is given why one should consider scape a combining form in cityscape but the second element of a blend in Vietscape, and an abbreviation in Soil Conservation And Protection for Europe. In Section 3 some suggestions for the analysis and treatment of extragrammatical novel formations are given and a few cases for comparison and future studies (e.g., -fest, -gate, -holic, -rama, -speak, etc.) are proposed. The above are supposed to be final combining forms providing regular and productive patterns of word-formation. Hence, they seem to be plausible candidates to enter the English word-formation rules (WFRs).

Combining forms and blends: The case of scape

MATTIELLO, ELISA
2007-01-01

Abstract

This study is centred on morphological phenomena that seem to have recently expanded in terms of productivity and frequency, i.e. neologisms via formatives originated from established complex lexemes. For example, cityscape, lunarscape, seascape, townscape, waterscape, etc., which are all originated from established landscape. The etymology of the word scape is apparently simple: it is a back-formation from landscape, hence, generally used to denote ‘a (representation of a) scenic view’. Yet, when scape functions as an element of word-formation, it seems to pose serious problems within morphological classification, which varies according to both the morphotactics and the morphosemantics of the resulting combination. In some cases, -scape acts as a final combining form, as in cityscape (‘a view of a city, city scenery’) and its analogical formations (moonscape, seascape, townscape, etc.) (see Warren 1990, cf. Fradin 2000). In other cases, it acts as the second element of a blend, as suggested by new coinages such as Vietscape (< Vietnam landscape) and Ness-scape (< Loch Ness landscape) (cf. Thornton 1993). It finally acts as an acronym when abbreviating a phrase such as Soil Conservation And Protection for Europe or Study of Cultural Adaptations in the Prairie Ecozone. This paper investigates the case of scape both morphologically and semantically. In Section 1 scape is analysed from the point of view of extragrammatical morphology (Doleschal & Thornton eds. 2000, cf. Zwicky & Pullum 1987), morphotactic complexity (Merlini Barbaresi ed. 2003), and contrasted with natural morphology (Dressler et al. 1987, Kilani-Schoch 1988, Tonelli & Dressler 1993, Wurzel 1994, Dressler 1999a). Here an overview of such phenomena as combining forms, blends and acronyms is provided. In Section 2 scape is explored form the point of view of semantics. A semantic explanation is given why one should consider scape a combining form in cityscape but the second element of a blend in Vietscape, and an abbreviation in Soil Conservation And Protection for Europe. In Section 3 some suggestions for the analysis and treatment of extragrammatical novel formations are given and a few cases for comparison and future studies (e.g., -fest, -gate, -holic, -rama, -speak, etc.) are proposed. The above are supposed to be final combining forms providing regular and productive patterns of word-formation. Hence, they seem to be plausible candidates to enter the English word-formation rules (WFRs).
2007
Mattiello, Elisa
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/764086
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