Branches of linguistics. Synchronic vs diachronic approaches to the language study. Lexicology – ‘the science of the word’ Lexicon

apocope (back-clipping) is a final clipping, e.g. prof < professor, disco < discotheque, ad < advertisement, coke < coca-cola;

aphaeresis (fore-clipping) is an initial clipping, e.g. phone < telephone, Bella < Isabella, cello < violoncello;

syncope is a medial clipping, e.g. maths < mathematics, specs < spectacles; ma’m < madam;

fore-and-aft clipping is an initial and final clipping, e.g. flu < influenza, fridge < refrigerator, tec < detective, Liza < Elizabeth;

Blending (telescoping) is the process of merging parts of words into one new word, e.g. Bollywood < Bombay + Hollywood, antiégé < anti + protégé, brunch < breakfast + lunch, Mathlete < Mathematics+ athlete.

A blend (a fusion, a telescoped word, a portmanteau word) is a word that combines parts of two words and includes the letters or / and sounds they may have in common as a connecting element.

Blending has been known since the 15th c. First blends were of comic or mysterious nature as these were charades for readers or listeners to decode. Telescoped words are found in the works by W. Shakespeare (trimpherate < triumph+ triumvirate), E. Spencer (wrizzle < wrinkle + frizzle). The term portmanteau word was coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass in 1872 to explain some of the words he made up in the nonsense poem Jabberwocky, e.g. galumph < gallop + triumph, chortle < chuckle + snort.