中英文裡反成式的語詞

Back-formed Expressions in Chinese and English Summary in English

西文裡頭──尤其是英文──常常在一個詞或一個短語上加減一個詞頭詞尾或用其他形態的變化造出一個新詞或短語，可是結果與原來的結構並不相同，或者竟是衝突的。這種變化叫作back formation，我給它譯作‘反成式’。例如韋氏國際大詞典在back formation項下舉例有diagnosis‘診斷’，原是從希臘轉拉丁借入英文當一個名詞用；但是後來造出一個像帶動詞尾樣子的-se，成了一個新動詞diagnose‘診斷’，這就產生了一個反成詞了。

Back formations are very common in English and other Western languages. Why are they so rare in Chinese, except a few in which expressions are back-formed by removing the negative affixes? The answer is that while Chinese words and phrases are not unlimited as to form classes, they are functionally much more versatile than in inflected languages or partially inflected languages sue h as English. For examples see the main text.