BACK-FORMATION RECONSIDERED
BACK-FORMATION RECONSIDERED

Summary/Abstract: Traditionally, back-formation is regarded in English as a diachronic process with no synchronic relevance. The paper argues that in the light of recent research and growing empirical evidence this view must be reconsidered. In present-day English back-formation displays considerable potential for coining new words and it tends to be on a par with other word-formation techniques such as derivation, compounding and conversion. The paper argues that despite its strong synchronic potential, back-formation should be interpreted as a thriving pattern based on analogy, rather than a word-building rule with clearly definable input and output conditions.

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