Lexims

Lexims are a type of word formation process that involves the blending of two or more words to create a new word. This process is often used in English to form neologisms, which are new words or new senses for existing words. Lexims can be created through various methods, including:

1. Portmanteaus: Blending words from different languages, such as "brunch" (a blend of "breakfast" and "lunch").

2. Clipping: Shortening a word, such as "skyscraper" (from "sky scraper").

3. Compounding: Combining two or more words to form a new word, such as "blackboard" (from "black" and "board").

4. Back-formation: Creating a new word by removing a suffix from an existing word, such as "happy" (from "happiness").

Lexims can be useful in language for several reasons. They can help to create new words that are more concise or descriptive than existing words. They can also help to reflect changes in language use and meaning. However, they can also be controversial, as they can sometimes be difficult to understand or pronounce, and they can sometimes be seen as a sign of language decay.

Examples of lexims in English include "smog" (from "smoke" and "fog"), "motel" (from "motor" and "hotel"), and "brunch" (from "breakfast" and "lunch"). Lexims are a common feature of English, and they continue to be used to create new words and reflect changes in language use and meaning.