21321 Abbreviations or Shortenings in modern English Tendentions of their development
The Graduation Paper Abbreviations or Shortenings in modern English: Tendentions of their development
The review
In the process of communication words and word-groups should be shortened. The causes of shortening can be linguistic and extra-linguistic. By extra-linguistic causes changes in the life of people are meant. In Modern English many new abbreviations, acronyms, initials, blends are formed because the tempo of life is increasing and it becomes necessary to give more and more information in the shortest possible time. The present graduation bachelor’s paper is entitled “Abbreviations or Shortenings in modern English: Tendentions of their development”. The given Graduation Paper gives us a notion for the Abbreviations, their classification and stylistic functions in modern linguistics. The chief purpose of this paper is to detect those peculiarities of process of abbreviation formation in modern English. One of the principle objectives is to enlarge upon development of modern English lexical units The actuality of the given Graduation Paper is caused by the dynamics of the development of modern English. Abbreviations make our life easier. However, when using them, we shouldn't overdo it. The abbreviations, the subject of study, are the most intensively developing units of English. Consequently, there is the distinctive interest to abbreviations in modern linguistics. Abbreviating work or academic titles is common practice in the UK. It was resumed that people in business got used many abbreviations mostly because economic terms tend to be too long. It is hard to make a list of them because there are so many of them. The best thing to do is to learn them progressively. Graphical abbreviations are the result of shortening of words and word-groups only in written speech while orally the corresponding full forms are used. They are used for the economy of space and effort in writing. The first (theoretical) part starts with a detailed definition of abbreviations in general. Having dwelled at some length on the notion of shortenings and its divisions, we proceed to the stylistic functions of abbreviations. The second (analytical) part of our research work presents the investigation of a broadly based selection of different types of abbreviations according to their classification and stylistic functions. The material of the scientific study comprises analysis of article on technological terminology “The Evolution of Third-generation Cellular Standards”. The analysis of the rest abbreviation groups in scientific texts is based on the analysis of the modern dictionaries: Bloomsbury Dictionary of New Words; The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English; The Longman Register of New Words; Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs; Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English. To say in brief the represented investigation also identifies and formulates the basic characteristics and tendencies of English shortenings. The method that has been adopted to explore the topic and carry out the analysis combines descriptive, historical and comparative approaches. In the conclusion the major results of the investigation are assessed and summarized. It was concluded that the abundance of abbreviations is the characteristic feature of newspaper style of modern English language. It was determined that the process of global integration plays the leading role in the activization and development of abbreviations in modern English. The present graduation paper provides the list of references, appendix and bibliography. The present bachelor’s paper investigates the problem from the point of view of modern development and proposes a lot of comparisons and examples of English wide-spread and rare shortenings. Various publicistic and scientific texts serve as the factual material for the research carried out in the analytical part. Having investigated the factual material, the author of the present work arrives at the conclusion that the process of global integration plays the leading role in the activization and development of abbreviations in modern English. The author hopes that these suggestions and observations will prove to be useful and helpful contribution to the enormous field of English philological research.
Summary
The present graduation bachelor’s paper is entitled “Abbreviations or Shortenings in modern English: Tendentions of their development”. The given Graduation Paper gives us a notion for the Abbreviations, their classification and stylistic functions in modern linguistics. The chief purpose of this paper is to detect those peculiarities of process of abbreviation formation in modern English. One of the principle objectives is to enlarge upon development of modern English lexical units. The bachelor paper comprises the introduction, the theoretical part (the first chapter), the analytical (practical, the second chapter) part, the conclusion, the list of references, the appendix and bibliography. The actuality of the given Graduation Paper is caused by the dynamics of the development of modern English. Abbreviations make our life easier. However, when using them, we shouldn't overdo it. The abbreviations, the subject of study, are the most intensively developing units of English. Consequently, there is the distinctive interest to abbreviations in modern linguistics. The introduction clarifies the choice of the topic and the importance of the scientific analysis of formal prose, defines the chief goal, principle objectives and the material of investigation. The introductory part, as well, describes the main method that we have applied to the analysis conducted in the analytical part of our research. The first (theoretical) part starts with a detailed definition of abbreviations in general. Having dwelled at some length on the notion of shortenings and its divisions, we proceed to the stylistic functions of abbreviations. In accordance with the given classification, the shortenings are subdivided into several groups: - Graphical abbreviations; - Types of initials, peculiarities of their pronunciation; - Lexical shortenings of words, their reference to styles; - Blends; - Back formations. In the theoretical part we attempt to outline general stylistic functions of the abbreviations and its connection with other functional styles of English. It gives us a conception of the major characteristics of the abbreviations and of the main ways of their formation in modern English. The oldest group of graphical abbreviations in English is of Latin origin. In Russian this type of abbreviation is not typical. The second one helps to follow the stylistic peculiarities and functions of the abbreviations in modern English. It was resumed that initialisms are the bordering case between graphical and lexical abbreviations. In some cases the translation of initialisms is next to impossible without using special dictionaries. Initialisms are denoted in different ways. There are three types of initialisms in English: initialisms with alphabetical reading; initialisms which are read as if they are words; initialisms which coincide with English words in their sound form, such initialisms are called acronyms. It will be explained that abbreviation does not change the part-of-speech meaning, as we have it in the case of conversion or affixation, it produces words belonging to the same part of speech as the primary word. Mostly nouns undergo abbreviation, but we can also meet abbreviation of verbs. But mostly abbreviated forms of verbs are formed by means of conversion from abbreviated nouns. Adjectives can be abbreviated but they are mostly used in school slang and are combined with suffixation. As a rule, pronouns, numerals, interjections conjunctions are not abbreviated. Lexical abbreviations are classified according to the part of the word which is clipped. Mostly the end of the word is clipped, because the beginning of the word in most cases is the root and expresses the lexical meaning of the word. This type of abbreviation is called apocope. The second (analytical) part of our research work presents the investigation of a broadly based selection of different types of abbreviations according to their classification and stylistic functions. According to the texts belonging to various functional styles of official speech, namely the publicist (newspaper) style and the scientific style were defined the following groups of abbreviations: - Common abbreviations; - Abbreviations as scientific words; - Abbreviations of American origin; - Innovations in American English; - Abbreviations as lexical units of business English; - The most common acronyms in the areas of networks. The material of the scientific study comprises analysis of article on technological terminology “The Evolution of Third-generation Cellular Standards”. The analysis of the rest abbreviation groups in scientific texts is based on the analysis of the dictionaries: Bloomsbury Dictionary of New Words; The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English; The Longman Register of New Words; Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs; Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English; Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English; Trofimova Z. Dictionary of New Words and New Meanings. In different countries, different alphabets and rules for coding currency units, date, time, numbers, etc. are in use. Sorting algorithms for verbal texts present a special kind of problem. English and culture have developed in close contacts with several languages and cultures, so we do not possess unique rules and algorithms to represent the above-mentioned data. Agreements developed in practical life need to be presented in the form of a standard. In most cases, it is possible to lean on international standards, yet they have to be somewhat extended and specified according to the peculiarities of the European languages and culture. That’ why the practical part (the second chapter and Appendix I) is devoted to demonstration of stylistic functions of abbreviated forms in modern English. To say in brief our investigation also identifies and formulates the basic characteristics and tendencies of English shortenings. The method that has been adopted to explore the topic and carry out the analysis combines descriptive, historical and comparative approaches. In the conclusion the major results of the investigation are assessed and summarized. It was concluded that the abundance of abbreviations is the characteristic feature of newspaper style of modern English language. It was determined that the process of global integration plays the leading role in the activization and development of abbreviations in modern English. It was also determined that there is a difference between acronyms and abbreviations. An acronym is usually formed by taking the first initials of a phrase or compounded-word and using those initials to form a word that stands for something. Graphical abbreviations are the result of shortening of words and word-groups only in written speech while orally the corresponding full forms are used. They are used for the economy of space and effort in writing. There are also graphical abbreviations of native origin, where in the spelling we have abbreviations of words and word-groups of the corresponding English equivalents in the full form. Obviously, that the rushing to clearness discovers expression in application of legible grammar constructions and lexical units, and also in the wide use of a nomenclature. As a rule, the placed terms will be utilized conventional, though meet and terminoids (terms, having circulation in a narrow orb), which considerably hamper translation. The rushing to a multiplicity expresses in wide application of infinitive, gerundial and subordinate clauses, abbreviations (cuttings) and conventional signs. It’s known that in the process of communication words and word-groups should be shortened. The causes of shortening can be linguistic and extra-linguistic. By extra-linguistic causes changes in the life of people are meant. In Modern English many new abbreviations, acronyms, initials, blends are formed because the tempo of life is increasing and it becomes necessary to give more and more information in the shortest possible time. More over, nowadays the computer systems hardware and especially the software are more and more often adjusted to the cultural and language peculiarities of a specific country and nation. The present graduation paper provides the list of references and bibliography. The present bachelor’s paper investigates the problem from the point of view of modern development and proposes a lot of comparisons and examples of English wide-spread and rare shortenings. Various publicistic and scientific texts serve as the factual material for the research carried out in the analytical part.
Contents
Introduction
Chapter I. The main characteristics of abbreviations and their appliance in modern English § 1.1. Classification groups of abbreviations, the main differences between them § 1.2. Graphical abbreviations § 1.3. Types of initials, peculiarities of their pronunciation § 1.4. Lexical shortenings of words, their reference to styles § 1.5. Blends § 1.6. Back formation § 1.7. The peculiarities of appliance of abbreviations in modern English
Chapter II. The stylistic functions of the abbreviations in modern English § 2.1. Common abbreviations § 2.2. Abbreviations as scientific words § 2.3. Abbreviations of American origin § 2.4. Innovations in American English § 2.5. Abbreviations as lexical units of business English § 2.6. The most common acronyms in the areas of networks
Conclusion
Appendix I Sources
Introduction
Our intention in this Graduation Paper is to provide the detailed explanation for the Abbreviations. The emphasis will be on the definitions given by different lexicologists, on the origin, structure and style usage of them. The topic of the present bachelor’s paper is the significance of abbreviation-process impact on the modern English language in conditions of the world integration and globalization in the course of human activities. All people round the world have the tendency to short the lexical units. The peculiarities of development of the medium by which speakers of a language communicate their thoughts and feelings to others, the tool with which they conduct their business or the government, and the vehicle by which the science, the culture has been transmitted is surely worth of study. It is reasonable to assume that a liberally educated person should know something of the conventions of the foreign language we learn, the lexical changes of its vocabulary together with the sources from which that vocabulary has been enriched. All the above-mentioned aspects are gathered under the single name of the English language in the present work thus it is fruitful to discuss and examine in most detail the evolution of the modern English language which is marked by the greatest influence of abbreviations. In the process of communication words and word-groups can be shortened. Abbreviation of words consists in clipping a part of a word. As a result we get a new lexical unit where either the lexical meaning or the style is different form the full form of the word. The causes of shortening can be linguistic and extra-linguistic. By extra-linguistic causes changes in the life of people are meant. We can suppose that in Modern English many new abbreviations, acronyms, initials, blends are formed because the tempo of life is increasing and it becomes necessary to give more and more information in the shortest possible time. There are also linguistic causes of abbreviating words and word-groups, such as the demand of rhythm, which is satisfied in English by monosyllabic words. When borrowings from other languages are assimilated in English they are shortened. Here we have modification of form on the basis of analogy, e.g. the Latin borrowing «fanaticus» is shortened to «fan» on the analogy with native words: man, pan, tan etc. They have been readily accepted by the people and handed down to the present day, because they have a universal value. We can find abbreviations, which fit any business situation and this gives them general application. Abbreviations are used to save time and space, and to make long names of organizations and long technical terms easier to remember and less tedious to refer to repeatedly in an extended piece of writing such as a newspaper article or textbook. In such contexts, if the abbreviation is not a very common one, the long name or technical term is often given in full at the first mention, with the abbreviation in brackets after it. After that just the abbreviation is used. The actuality of the given Graduation Paper is caused by the dynamics of the development of modern English. Abbreviations, the subject of our analysis, make our life easier. However, when using them, we shouldn't overdo it. The abbreviations are the most intensively developing units of English. Consequently, there is the distinctive interest to abbreviations in modern linguistics. The chief purpose of this paper is to treat the above-mentioned lexical group in order to demonstrate the significance of impact of the abbreviation forms on the English language and to prove the fact that this influence is mostly distinctive feature of the vocabulary of the language. The principle objectives are as following: to show the significance of abbreviation forms considering the texts of various functional styles, predominantly official one. The structure of the work is as follows. It comprises the theoretical part, the analytical (practical) part, the conclusion, appendix and bibliography. The theoretical part (The First Chapter) embraces seven units according to the main characteristics of abbreviations and their appliance in modern English. It concerns the classification groups of abbreviations and the main differences between them, which are divided into several groups: - Graphical abbreviations; - Types of initials, peculiarities of their pronunciation; - Lexical shortenings of words, their reference to styles; - Blends; - Back formation; - The peculiarities of appliance of abbreviations in modern English. In the Graduation Paper we will base ourselves upon the definitions given by different specialists, and as a conclusion we will give our own definition of abbreviations. The examination of the Structure of abbreviations will be based on the works of V. Adams, R.W. Burchfield, G.Canon, O. Jespersen, Ph. Howard, D.W. Maurer, F.C. High, S. Potter, R. Quirk and M. Schlauch. The first chapter gives us a notion of the major characteristics of the abbreviations and of the main ways of their formation in modern English. This chapter is also devoted to delivering of classification of the abbreviations and the main differences between them. Our study helps to follow the stylistic peculiarities and functions of the abbreviations in modern English. The analytical part of the present work (The second Chapter) investigates the stylistic functions of the abbreviations in modern English. According to the texts belonging to various functional styles of official speech, namely the publicist (newspaper) style and the scientific style were defined the following groups of abbreviations: - Common abbreviations; - Abbreviations as scientific words; - Abbreviations of American origin; - Innovations in American English; - Abbreviations as lexical units of business English; - The most common acronyms in the areas of networks. The study of publicist style and of the most common acronyms in the areas of networks rests on the analysis of newspaper article entitled “The Evolution of Third-generation Cellular Standards”. The analysis of the rest abbreviation groups in scientific texts is based on the analysis of the dictionaries: Bloomsbury Dictionary of New Words; The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English; The Longman Register of New Words; Longman Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs; Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English; Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English; Trofimova Z. Dictionary of New Words and New Meanings. To say in brief the practical part (the second chapter) will be devoted to demonstration of stylistic functions of abbreviated forms in modern English. Our investigation also identifies and formulates the basic characteristics and tendencies of English shortenings. The method that has been adopted to explore the topic and carry out the analysis combines descriptive, historical and comparative approaches. In the conclusion the major results of the investigation will be assessed and summarized. The present graduation paper provides the list of references and bibliography.
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Dictionaries
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