The four types of clipping are back clipping, fore-clipping, middle clipping, and complex clipping, all common processes in word formation.
Clipping, also known as truncation, is a linguistic phenomenon where a word is shortened without altering its meaning or grammatical function. This process creates new, shorter words from existing ones, often for convenience or informality.
Understanding the Types of Clipping
Clipping is a dynamic aspect of language evolution, contributing to lexical efficiency and the natural flow of communication. Each type of clipping involves a distinct method of shortening the original word.
1. Back Clipping (Apocope)
Back clipping, or apocope, involves removing the final part of a word. This is arguably the most common type of clipping, resulting in a shorter word derived from the beginning of the original.
- Characteristics:
- The end of the word is cut off.
- The remaining part is usually the stressed syllable or the most recognizable portion.
- Examples:
- Advertisement becomes ad
- Examination becomes exam
- Mathematics becomes math
- Doctor becomes doc
- Facsimile becomes fax
- Photograph becomes photo
2. Fore-Clipping (Aphaeresis)
Fore-clipping, also known as aphaeresis, involves removing the initial part of a word. While less common than back clipping, it still plays a significant role in word shortening.
- Characteristics:
- The beginning of the word is cut off.
- The remaining part often retains enough phonetic information to be identifiable.
- Examples:
- Telephone becomes phone
- Airplane becomes plane
- Caravan becomes van
- Omnibus becomes bus
- Defender becomes fender (in the context of a car part)
- Because becomes 'cause (informal)
3. Middle Clipping (Syncope)
Middle clipping, or syncope, involves removing the middle part of a word. This type of clipping often occurs when a word has redundant sounds or syllables, leading to a more streamlined pronunciation.
- Characteristics:
- The middle section of the word is removed.
- Both the beginning and end of the original word are retained.
- Examples:
- Influenza becomes flu
- Refrigeration becomes fridge (though sometimes debated as back clipping of "refrigerator")
- Mathematics can also informally become maths (in some dialects), though "math" is back clipping. "Flu" is a classic example.
- Pajamas sometimes shortened to jammies (which is more complex, but "jams" is a simpler middle clip)
- Spectacles to specs (can be argued as middle or back, depending on interpretation)
4. Complex Clipping
Complex clipping refers to more intricate forms of word shortening, often involving a combination of different clipping types or the clipping of compound words. It can also involve creating a new word from two or more parts of different words.
- Characteristics:
- Combines elements of back, fore, or middle clipping.
- Often involves compound words where parts of both words are clipped.
- Can include shortening of phrases or multiple words into one.
- Examples:
- Sitcom from situation comedy (combines parts of two words)
- Navel-gazing might be complex in its evolution to shorter forms, but simpler examples are more illustrative.
- Holidays to hols (back clipping, but "complex" can describe multi-word origins leading to a single clipped form).
- Pro-am from professional and amateur (clipping from two words)
- Sci-fi from science fiction (clipping from two words)
These various forms of clipping highlight the dynamic and creative nature of language, constantly adapting for efficiency and expression.
Summary of Clipping Types
| Type of Clipping | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Back Clipping | Removing the end of a word (e.g., advertisement to ad) | Exam, math, photo, doc, fax |
| Fore-Clipping | Removing the beginning of a word (e.g., telephone to phone) | Plane, bus, van, 'cause, fender |
| Middle Clipping | Removing the middle part of a word (e.g., influenza to flu) | Flu, fridge, specs |
| Complex Clipping | Shortening involving combinations or multiple words (e.g., situation comedy to sitcom) | Sitcom, pro-am, sci-fi, hi-fi |
For further reading on word formation processes, you can explore resources like Wikipedia on Clipping (linguistics) or academic linguistics glossaries.
