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Baby Got Back-Formations

A list of 106 words by reesetee.

About

"A new word created by removing an affix from an already existing word, as vacuum clean from vacuum cleaner, or by removing what is mistakenly thought to be an affix, as pea from the earlier English plural pease."

Comments

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  • slumry Oh that's right--too bad it would not have worked for you here. Jul 12, 2007

  • reesetee No, no--the one-handed typing thing is a different list! ;-) Jul 12, 2007

  • slumry Sorry--I was so busy ranting I missed the word! Teach me!

    I can just see you typing with one hand while holding your nose with the other.

    I do feel better now. Jul 12, 2007

  • reesetee Surveil's on there, s--hard to find in a long list, I guess. :-) And commentate--AAAGH! It hurts! Added. It has been around a long time. But apparently it has only recently taken on its present connotation. Maybe we can console ourselves with that. Jul 12, 2007

  • slumry Also commentate, that odious word. ;-) Actually, I was surprised to find how long that word has been in use--I assumed it was a recent abomination. And a verbification to boot.

    All opinions expressed belong strictly to the commentator and do not reflect on the actual value of the word. Jul 12, 2007

  • slumry Surveil is a back-formation of surveillance (and one for which I happen to have antipathy.) Perhaps it belongs on this list?

    Since I know someone will ask, my preference is "To put/keep under surveillance." More words, yes, but easier on my sensibilities. Jul 12, 2007

  • reesetee Thanks, slumry. Honestly, I wasn't aware that some of these were back-formations until I looked them up. It was an interesting exercise. And I agree--some are truly abominable. :-) Jun 18, 2007

  • slumry I am going to linger here a while. I have had it in mind to make a list of back-formations myself, but I would not have thought of many of these. I love it. Remind me to add abomination to my list, if I have not already done so. I am not saying these are all abominations, of course, but some back-formations certainly are abominations to my ear. Jun 18, 2007

  • reesetee You're among friends, john. And meeralee, as for "impactive"--sounds like a personal problem, don't you think? Eeesh. Mar 26, 2007

  • meeralee Not a back formation, but today I read an ad looking for "impactive" photographs.

    Gaaaaargh. Mar 22, 2007

  • johnwarren Glad to see some kindred souls here who hate language-mangling... Mar 17, 2007

  • reesetee Oddly, sionnach, I don't think either of those words is a back-formation (although I could be wrong). Anyway, they *should* be. They sound wrenching enough.

    But my all-time favorite (eeesh) is "conversate." Just looking at it gives me the willies. Mar 16, 2007

  • sionnach Presumably this is the process which gives us such unnecessary coinages as obligate and orientate. And I have seen the "word" pronunciate in print. More than once.

    Excuse me. I have to go rend my garments. Mar 16, 2007

  • reesetee Lots of hilarious fake back-formations here. Feb 16, 2007