Definition of Clipping in Linguistics

Definition of Clipping in Linguistics In morphology, clipping is the process of forming a new word by dropping one or more syllables from a polysyllabic word, such as cellphone  from cellular phone.  In other words, clipping refers to part of a word that serves  for  the whole, such as  ad  and  phone from advertisement and telephone,  respectively.  The term is also known as a  clipped form, clipped word, shortening, and truncation. A clipped form generally has the same denotative meaning as the word it comes from, but its regarded as more colloquial and informal. Clipping also makes it easier to spell and write many words. For example, a clipped form may replace the original word in everyday usage- such as the use of  piano in place of pianoforte. Examples and Observations Some of the most common products of clipping are names- Liz, Ron, Rob, and Sue, which are shortened forms of  Elizabeth, Ronald, Robert, and Susan,  say  W. OGrady, J. Archibald, M. Aronoff, and J. Rees-Miller in their text  Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction. They note that clipping is especially popular in the speech of students, where it has yielded forms like prof for professor, phys-ed for physical education, and  poli-sci for political science. However, many clipped forms have also been accepted in general usage: doc, ad, auto, lab, sub, porn, demo, and condo. The authors add that: A more recent example of this sort that has become part of general English vocabulary is fax, from facsimile (meaning exact copy or reproduction). Other examples of clipped forms in English include biz, caps, celebs, deli, exam, flu, gator, hippo, hood, info, intro, lab, limo, mayo, max, perm, photo, ref, reps, rhino, sax, stats, temp, thru, tux, ump, veep, and vet. Clipping Basics As noted, clipped words form through a social process, such as students preferring to use shortened forms of common terms, as noted in Contemporary Linguistics. The same kind of social forces lead to the creation of clipped words in other English-speaking countries such as Britain, notes David Crystal in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. There are also several clippings which retain material from more than one part of the word, such as maths (UK), gents, and specs....Several clipped forms also show adaptation, such as fries (from french fried potatoes), Betty (from Elizabeth), and Bill (from William). Clipped words are not  abbreviations,  contractions, or  diminutives. True, an  abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. But abbreviations often end with a period, such as  Jan.  for  January, and are clearly understood to be stand-ins for the full term.  A contraction is a word or phrase- such as thats, a form of  that has- that has been shortened by dropping one or more letters. In writing, an apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters.  A  diminutive is a word form or  suffix  that indicates smallness,  such as  doggie  for  dog  and  Tommie  for  Thomas.   Types of Clipping There are several types of clipping, including  final, initial, and complex. Final clipping, also called  apocope, is just what the term implies: clipping or cutting off the last syllable or syllables of a word to form the clipped term, such as  info  for information and gas for gasoline. Initial clipping, also called apheresis, is  the clipping of the initial part of the beginning of the word,  also called  fore-clipping, notes the Journal of English Lexicology.  Examples of fore-clipping include  bot  for  robot  and  chute  for parachute. Complex clipping, as the name implies, is more involved. It is the shortening of a compound word by preserving and combining its initial parts (or first syllables), says  ESL.ph. Examples include: Sci-fi for  science  fictionSitcom for  situation  comedyGrandma for grandmotherPerm for permanent waveShrink for head  shrinker As you see, clipped words are not always respectful terms. Indeed, some great literary figures vigorously opposed them, such as Jonathan Swift, who made his feelings clear in the tellingly named A Proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue, published in 1712. He saw clipping as a symptom of barbaric social forces that had to be tamped down: This perpetual Disposition to shorten our Words, by retrenching the Vowels, is nothing else but a tendency to lapse into the Barbarity of those Northern Nations from whom we are descended, and whose Languages labour all under the same Defect. So, the next time you hear or use a clipped word, do so knowing that it is considered acceptable in English but remember that these shortened terms have a long and somewhat controversial history.

Oswald Boelcke - World War I Ace

Oswald Boelcke - World War I Ace Oswald Boelcke - Childhood: The fourth child of a schoolteacher, Oswald Boelcke was born May 19, 1891, in Halle, Germany. A rabid nationalist and militarist, Boelckes father instilled these viewpoints in his sons. The family moved to Dessau when Boelcke was a young boy and he soon suffered from a severe case of whooping cough. Encouraged to participate in sports as part of his recovery, he proved a gifted athlete taking part in swimming, gymnastics, rowing, and tennis. Upon turning thirteen, he desired to pursue a military career. Oswald Boelcke -Getting His Wings: Lacking political connections, the family took the audacious step of writing directly to Kaiser Wilhelm II with the goal of seeking a military appointment for Oswald. This gamble paid dividends and he was admitted to the Cadets School. Graduating, he was assigned to Koblenz as a cadet officer in March 1911, with his full commission arriving a year later. Boelcke was first exposed to aviation while at Darmstadt and soon applied for a transfer to the Fliegertruppe. Granted, he took flight training during the summer of 1914, passing his final exam on August 15, just days after the beginning of World War I. Oswald Boelcke -Breaking New Ground: Immediately sent to the front, his older brother, Hauptmann Wilhelm Boelcke, secured him a position in Fliegerabteilung 13 (Aviation Section 13) so that they could serve together. A gifted observer, Wilhelm routinely flew with his younger brother. Forming a strong team, the younger Boelcke soon won an Iron Cross, Second Class for completing fifty missions. Though effective, the brothers relationship caused issues within the section and Oswald was transferred out. After recovering from a bronchial illness, he was assigned to Fliegerabteilung 62 in April 1915. Flying from Douai, Boelckes new unit operated two-seat observation aircraft and was tasked with artillery spotting and reconnaissance. At the beginning of July, Boelcke was selected as one of five pilots to receive a prototype of the new Fokker E.I fighter. A revolutionary aircraft, the E.I featured a fixed Parabellum machine gun which fired through the propeller with the use of an interrupter gear. With the new aircraft entering service, Boelcke scored his first victory in a two-seater when his observer downed a British plane on July 4. Switching to the E.I, Boelcke and Max Immelmann began attacking Allied bombers and observation aircraft. While Immelmann opened his score sheet on August 1, Boelcke had to wait until August 19 for his first individual kill. On August 28, Boelcke distinguished himself on the ground when he rescued a French boy, Albert DePlace, from drowning in a canal. Though DePlaces parents recommended him for the French Legion dHonneur, Boelcke instead received the German life-saving badge. Returning to the skies, Boelcke and Immelmann began a scoring competition which saw them both tied with six kills by the end of the year. Downing three more in January 1916, Boelcke was awarded Germanys highest military honor, the Pour le MÃ ©rite. Given command of Fliegerabteilung Sivery, Boelcke led the unit in combat over Verdun. By this time, the Fokker Scourge that had begun with the arrival of the E.I was coming to a close as new Allied fighters such as the Nieuport 11 and Airco DH.2 were reaching the front. To combat these new aircraft, Boelckes men received new aircraft while their leader stressed team tactics and accurate gunnery. Passing Immelmann by May 1, Boelcke became Germanys preeminent ace after the formers death in June 1916. A hero to the public, Boelcke was withdrawn from the front for a month on the Kaisers orders. While on the ground, he was detailed to share his experiences with German leaders and aid in the reorganization of the Luftstreitkrfte (German Air Force). An avid student of tactics, he codified his rules of aerial combat, the Dicta Boelcke, and shared them with other pilots. Approaching the Aviation Chief of Staff, Oberstleutnant Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen, Boelcke was given permission to form his own unit. Oswald Boelcke -The Final Months: With his request granted, Boelcke began a tour of the Balkans, Turkey, and the Eastern Front recruiting pilots. Among his recruits was the young Manfred von Richthofen who would later become the famed Red Baron. Dubbed Jagdstaffel 2 (Jasta 2), Boelcke took command of his new unit on August 30. Relentlessly drilling Jasta 2 in his dicta, Boelcke downed ten enemy aircraft in September. Though achieving great personal success, he continued to advocate for tight formations and a team approach to aerial combat. Understanding the importance of Boelckes methods, he was permitted to travel to other airfields to discuss tactics and share his approaches with German fliers. By the end of October, Boelcke had run his total to 40 kills. On October 28, Boelcke took off on his sixth sortie of the day with Richthofen, Erwin BÃ ¶hme, and three others. Attacking a formation of DH.2s, the landing gear of BÃ ¶hmes aircraft scraped along the upper wing of Boelckes Albatros D.II severing the struts. This led the upper wing to detach and Boelcke fell from the sky. Though able to make a relatively controlled landing, Boelckes lap belt failed and he was killed by the impact. Suicidal as a result of his role in Boelckes death, BÃ ¶hme was prevented from killing himself and went on to become an ace before his death in 1917. Revered by his men for his understanding of aerial combat, Richthofen later said of Boelcke, I am after all only a combat pilot, but Boelcke, he was a hero. Dicta Boelcke Try to secure the upper hand before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.Always continue with an attack you have begun.Only fire at close range, and then only when the opponent is properly in your sights.You should always try to keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.In any type of attack, it is essential to assail your opponent from behind.If your opponent dives on you, do not try to get around his attack, but fly to meet it.When over the enemys lines, never forget your own line of retreat.Tip for Squadrons: In principle, it is better to attack in groups of four or six. Avoid two aircraft attacking the same opponent. Selected Sources Ace Pilots: Oswald BoelckeFirst World War: Oswald Boelcke