Regression (linguistics)
Reformation is a term used in historical word formation and means that a new word is created by omitting or replacing a word ending. Reformation can denote both the process and the newly created word.
Two variants of regression
In the case of regression in the narrower sense, a new, shorter word is created from a word by omitting an ending (a derivative morpheme ). The verb notland (en) is said to have originated from the already existing noun emergency landing by omitting the morpheme -ung .
But regression is also understood to mean the case that a new word is created by replacing the ending with another, e.g. For example, when from the adjective heme-ish the noun heme-e is formed. The classification of this process under "regression" can be explained as follows: so that the new ending can be added, the old ending must first be dropped - as with regression in the narrower sense.
On the problem of regression
It cannot be seen from the relevant words which historically originated first and which afterwards. An example is the relationship between curiosity and curiosity . The adjective looks like a normal derivation from the noun and would then be the later formation. The historical findings are different, however: the adjective curious was already used in texts in the 16th century, the noun curiosity only in the 17th century. From this it is concluded that curiosity is a regression to curious by omitting the morpheme -ig .
Curiosity is also only documented in the 17th century and is understood as regression through the exchange of the morpheme -ig for the morpheme -de . Curiosity thus represents the second type of regression.
In other words, regressions can only be recognized if historical data are known for the respective words, which exclude a derivation.
literature
- Hadumod Bußmann (Ed.) With the collaboration of Hartmut Lauffer: Lexikon der Sprachwissenschaft. 4th, revised and bibliographically supplemented edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-520-45204-7 .
- Walter Henzen : German word formation. 2nd, improved edition. Niemeyer, Tübingen 1957, p. 240 ff.
- Heinrich Tiefenbach : fishing and chimney. On the problem of deverbal regressions in contemporary German. In: Sprachwissenschaft 9, 1984, pp. 1-19.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Both types of regression in: Wolfgang Fleischer, Irmhild Barz: Word formation of the German contemporary language. With the collaboration of Marianne Schröder. 2nd, revised and supplemented edition. Niemeyer, Tübingen 1995, p. 51 f. ISBN 3-484-10682-4 .
- ↑ Wolfgang Pfeifer (head): Etymological dictionary of German. Unabridged, revised edition. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, Munich 1995. ISBN 3-05-000626-9 ; 7th edition 2004, keyword “greed”. ISBN 3-423-32511-9 .
- ↑ Helmut Glück (Ed.): Metzler-Lexikon Sprach . 4th edition; Verlag JB Metzler, Stuttgart and Weimar 2010, keyword “Rückbildung”. ISBN 3-476-02335-4 .
