Word-Formation Model As A Constant Lexical Basis Structure Of The German Language

Abstract

The article describes the study of the models of word-formation during teaching foreign languages. The author pays special attention to the formation of word-formation minimum and word-formation study of the German word stems. When selecting the word-formation minimum, a large number of micromodels of lexical stems relevant to the modern German vocabulary was identified, and it was found that of the identified micromodels there are about 250. At all stages of learning German, both at school and in higher school, we should revise models of both simple and complex word-formation, as well as micromodels with the most common prefixal and suffixal words. The author believes that the research of the word-formation minimum and the teaching word-formation study should be based on models and pass from models to micro-models. The students are encouraged to learn the basic derivational morphemes of word-formation, as well as the models and micro-models of both simple and compound words. After analyzing the most used models, the author came to the conclusion that the dominant role in word formation belongs to nouns. The author supposes that this word-formation minimum may contribute to a more effective learning of the lexical minimum, the mastery of which will help students to perform a detailed study of derivative words aimed to determine their meanings.

Keywords: Classification, composition, model, micromodel, relevant, word formation

Introduction

Many linguists interpret the model of word-formation as a stable structure of the lexical base of a word with a generalized lexical-categorical content. It can be filled with different lexical material (Belotelova, 1983).

Since the vocabulary of modern German is based on thirteen basic word-formation models of lexical bases, it is advisable to reduce these thirteen models for educational purposes combining several models (Abdukadyrova, 2009) during the selection and teaching of the word-formation minimum.

The objectives of this paper are to:

Identify the concept of the word-formation minimum;

Formulate the basic principle of the selection of a word-formation minimum;

Develop the main methodological recommendations.

The paper presents methodological recommendations for teaching process of the word-formation minimum during learning a foreign language at school or university.

Problem Statement

The subject of the paper is the specificity of word-formation models in modern German taking into account the morphological possibilities and trends in the development of the linguistic system (Astvatsatryan, 1992).

The word stock of modern German is developed using thirteen basic word-formation models of lexical stems.

1. However, it is reasonable to consider a micro-model, rather than a model, as the unit of the selection of the word-formation minimum and teaching of word-formation analysis;

2. At all stages of learning German, both at school and at university, the models of both simple and complex word formation, as well as the micro-models with the most frequently used prefixal and suffixal words should be revised;

3. Teaching the word-formation minimum and word-formation research should be based on these models. It should be conducted from models to micro-models, selecting certainly useful aspect for teaching word-formation for each model.

4. In the foreign language program for both general education schools and institutions of higher education, it is necessary to pay special attention to the study of the word-formation minimum;

5. At all stages, students are encouraged to learn the basic derivational morphemes of word formation, as well as the models and micromodels of both simple and complex words.

6. The word-formation minimum should present the meaning of basic word-formation models and micro-models, which are the part of the word-formation components, knowledge of which will help the student to carry out detailed research of derived words aimed to determine their meaning. During the selection and teaching the word-formation minimum, it is proposed to reduce these 13 models for training purposes combining several models. Thus, for example, it is necessary to enclose the base models with residual elements into the root word models.

The models with changed and unchanged roots are grouped into a single model. Namely, the model of affixless-derived words - with unchanged root and changed root.

Furthermore, we analyzed the prefixal word models (with unchanged root, with changed root), the suffixal word models (with unchanged root and changed root), the suffixal-prefixal word models (with unchanged root and changed root).

The model of definite and indefinite composition, according to some famous linguists, is not limited to one model of compound words.

Research Questions

The research object is word-formation models of modern German at the modern development stage. The German language curriculum for institutions of higher education is focused on teaching the word-stock-building minimum, subdivided into a special subsection for the first time (lexical and grammatical minimums). For example, at stages 1 and 2 students are offered to learn the basic word-formation morphemes and derivative models and compound words, but only the lists of micro-models of lexical bases are given.

For stage 3, the curriculum recommends teaching those word-formation morphemes and the models of the sublanguage of the studied specialty. The solution of this issue will require further research.

Purpose of the Study

The study is aimed at investigating word-formation patterns in modern German.

For this purpose, the following theoretical and practical problems are to:

• Describe the vocabulary of modern German;
• Give a definition to the concept of the word-formation minimum;
• Create the basic principle of selecting a word-formation minimum;
• Determine the main recommendations for teaching the word-formation minimum during the course of a foreign language at school and higher school.

Research Methods

The research methods are linguistic description, the method of continuous sampling and quantitative analysis.

Language universities use a model with semantic structure, having some advantages, as a unit of selection of the word-formation minimum. It allows selecting specific semantic variants of derivational units in a general structural type.

To illustrate the semantic structural models, the table of prefixal and semi-prefixal verb models with 20 prefixal verb models is presented. Several semantic models were identified for each of the 20 models. For example, the model with the prefix an-(an + V) has 6 meanings, respectively 6 semantic models, the model ab-(ab + V) has 8 meanings, etc.

Findings

According to Belotelova (1983), the word-formation minimum is a specific set of word-formation patterns of the modern German language to be learnt by students in order to understand complex and derivative words when reading the literature on the speciality. The linguist interprets the word-formation model as a stable structure of the lexical word base of a word.

For example, root word models include base models with further elements.

The models with changed and unchanged root are combined into single model. Namely, the model of affixless-derived words - with unchanged and changed roots.

Then, the prefixal word models (with unchanged root, with changed root), the suffixal word models (with unchanged root, with changed root), the suffixal-perfixal word models (with unchanged and changed roots) are followed.

During the course of the research 650 micromodels of lexical bases of the vocabulary of modern German were identified, and it was found that out of the 650 determined micromodels about 250 occur.

According to the above-mentioned principles, Antropova (2006) in her work "Word formation of German colloquial vocabulary" distinguished 140 of the most frequently occurring (47 verb micro-models, 41 noun micro-models, 52 adjective and adverb micro-models), which formed the basis for the lists of micro-models included in the German language program for the language specialties of universities.

It is necessary to note that that even before Antropova (2006), the linguist Belotelova (1983) in her study "The selection of word-formation minimum of the German language for linguistic universities" touched upon the issue of the solution of teaching word-formation minimum and word-formation analysis, but it is necessary to consider the fact that earlier for the unit of selection were accepted affixes, knowledge of which is not sufficient to create a comprehensive idea of the structural types of derivatives and the vocabulary structure (Fleischer & Barz, 1995).

However, having identified the most frequently used micro-models, Belotelova (1983) did not classify them based on the seven basic models. As a result, basic models are not mentioned in the selection of the word-formation minimum and in teaching the word-formation minimum and word-formation research. Students are not informed what models they should know, which model includes one or another micro-model (Stepanova & Fleischer, 1984).

Thus, the micro-model is actually accepted as a unit of the selection of the word-formation minimum, as well as a unit of teaching the word-formation minimum and research.

According to the statistical study, the most used are the following 9 models.

1) SN + SN: Noun + Noun;

2) SN + s + SN: Noun + s + Noun;

3) SAdj + SN: Adjective + Noun;

4) SV + SN: Verb + Noun;

5) SN + e + SN: Noun + е + Noun;

6) SN + en + SN: Noun + en + Noun;

7) SAdv + SN: Adverb +Noun;

8) SV + e + SN: Verb + е + Noun;

9) SN + SAdj: Noun + Adjective.

As the unit of selection in our scheme, we use the models of word-formation minimum, which have a semantic structure. Their use provides an opportunity to identify specific variants of semantic derivation units. Having studied all nine models, we concluded that the dominant role in this word-formation belongs to the noun, which, however, is not only quantitative, but also qualitative.

Nouns comprise the majority of the vocabulary, namely, about 50–60 %. This is evidenced by the numerous models of noun formation, which show a very effective productivity that other types of words do not achieve.

Compositional nouns can be presented as the first element, using units of all word types; they can also be used with adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and particles.

It stands to mention that the defining composition of two nouns is strongly developed, while the compositional connection of constituent words of the same type is somewhat weaker in the adjective and almost undeveloped in the verb. The fact that both verbs and adjectives do not often act as defining components of nouns can be seen in the morphological characteristics of these word types.

It should also be noted that compound nouns usually result from a derivation (hereinnehmen> Hereinnahme; herausfordern> Herausforder).

Within the derivational process, active suffixation takes place.

It is to be noted that about 60% of all suffixes constitute nouns; in nouns, the derivatives from syntagmas are formed more strongly than in other types of words. This refers primarily to the number of different types of basic syntagmatic characters as well as the number of suffixes used for this purpose (-e, -ei, -er, -ler, -ner, -ung).

The prefixal derivation, for example, does not give such a clear picture.

However, the role of a prefix in the noun formation is probably not as minor as has been the usual practice in many cases. Nouns with prefix formations do not obtain marked formational series and strong polysemy of verbal forms. In this case, according to experts, the formation model could be referred to the verb root + ge-...-en (Geschrieben). In contrast, this type of noun word-formation is now represented only by non-productive models, cf. Gelächter, Gespinst, etc.

Thus, conversion primarily is used to form nouns, with almost no limitations in the types of word conversion and only nouns can be modified in sentences.

And finally, it should be noted that proper names also have a noun character, and therefore all such models also serve to form nouns.

Nouns are not related to conjunctions and pronouns in a compositional sense. A special case is the word "cosmos" or "universe". In this case, the pronoun "all" is to be considered as a transformed noun.

Thus, the word-formation-semantic compositions with nouns and, defining their partial components of verbal links turned out to be very diverse, as evidenced by the characteristics of word-formation meanings.

On the other hand, however, the use of adjectives as a defining component (Kleingarten) is less behind, and the semantic relationship between the constituent parts is also far from being so homogeneous.

From the statement above it follows that today, the suffixation of noun bases makes it possible to form not only nouns, adjectives, and verbs, but also adverbs (nachts, wochenends, quartalsweise).

The desubstantive conversion forms mostly verbs, less often adjectives (ernst, klasse) and prepositions (kraft, dank, trotz, statt).

According to the principle "from the general to the particular" and "from model to micro-model," the foreign language curricula offers students initially to learn 16 micro-models of nouns, 20 micro-models of verbs, 20 micro-models of adverbs and adjectives.

At the middle stage – 19 micromodels of noun, 22 micromodels of verb, and 21 micromodels of adjective and adverb.

Thus, students will have to master: 4 noun models, 3adjectives and adverbs model, 3 verb models at stage 1 (initial). At stage 2 (middle) – 4 noun models, 2 adjective and adverb models, 3verb models.

This can be presented as follows:

Stage 1 of training

4 models of nouns:

1. Models 2, 3: SN - SV, SV - SN: SN -SVinf;

2. Models 4, 5: ur+ SM (Urlaub);

3. Models 6, 7: SV+ung (Vorbildung), SV+e (Rücknahme); SN+er (Verstärker); SAdj+e (Gröβe), SV+keit (Tätigkeit);

4. Models 10, 11: SM+SM, SV + ei SN+ s + SV; SM + n+ SM (Elektronenröhre) (Duden, 1986).

3 models of adjectives and adverbs:

1. Models 4, 5: un + SA (unmöglich);

2. Models 6, 7: SN + ell (rationell);

3. Models 8, 9: SN + lich (wissenschsftlich); SV + lich (lȍslich) (Duden, 1986).

3 models of verbs:

1. Models 2, 3: SV – SN (baden), SP + ig – SN (beteiligen);

2. Models 4, 5: in + SV (erinnern), be + SM (beraten), ver + SN (verbrauchen);

3. Models 8,9: ver +SN + ig/en (verteidiegen) (Duden, 1986).

Stage 2 of training

4 models of nouns:

1. Models 2, 3: SA – SN (Fett), PLL – SN (Angestellte), PL – SN (im Folgenden);

2. Models 6, 7/MM: SV+ nis (Erlaubnis), SA + heit (Freiheit), SA + schaft (Freundschaft), SM + ei (Bücherei);

3. Models 4, 5: über +SN (Übertemperatur), nach + SM (Nacharbeit);

4. Models 10, 11: SN+Abbr, SN (einigen)+SN;(Duden, 1986)

2 models of adjectives and adverbs:

1. Models 6, 7: SN+ frei (strömungsfrei), SN+ fähig (aufnahmefähig), SN+ fest (feuerfest), SN+ös (porös); SN+ähnlich (milchähnlich), SN +wert (wünschenswert); SA + mäβig(gleichmäβig);

2. Models 10, 11: SN+PLL (luftgekühlt); SA+SA (hellbraun) (Duden, 1986).

3 models of verbs:

1. Models 4, 5: ver +SN (verbrechen); be + SA (betreiben); durch +SV(durchführen); V (umlaufern); ent/emp+SV (entsprechen, empfehlen); über + SV (überdecken); mit +SM (mitnehmen); zer+SM, SN (zerbrechen);

3. Models 10, 11/MM: SAdv+SV (fertigstellen, festellen, herbeifüren, hintereinanderschalten, wiedersenden, zurückgehen, zusammenfallen, are the specific first frequent components of compound verbs.

The practice shows that all models and micro-models should be revised in all stages of training, and the numerical naming of models and micro-models should also be included into the list of these models (Velmyradova, 2018).

At further stages fractional numeral models should be given – Models 6, 7, as well as models and micro-models characterizing the terminological vocabulary, both simple and compound words.

6. The word-formation minimum should give the meaning of basic word-formation models and micro-models, which are part of the word-formation components, knowledge of which will help students to perform a detailed analysis of derived words to determine their meaning.

7. Arrangement of teaching word-formation minimum and teaching of word-formation study based on the principle "from model to micro-model", students must first know that the entire modern German vocabulary is based on the main models of vocabulary bases discussed in this article. Each of these models definitely includes a micro-model, which plays an important role in the formation of the word-formation minimum.

8. The offered tables allow rationalizing the process of learning the word-formation minimum and teaching word-formation study during the introduction of the lexical bases and teaching the semantics of words during reading foreign literature.

9. In the process of studying the word-formation minimum and teaching word-formation analysis, it is recommended to use the corresponding table of word-formation models and micro-models offered by us in the article. Thus, when organizing the study of the word-formation minimum and training in word-formation analysis from the particular to the general, from micro-models to models, students need to be familiar with main models for a better orientation in the process of word-formation of the studied foreign language.

10. The importance of the proposed word-formation minimum for all stages of training is the following:

This article is structured upon the lists of word-formation models according to validated lists of micro-models.

The lists of models and micro-models are defined schematically, sequentially, through all stages of training.

Summarizing the preceding arguments, we can conclude that this word-formation minimum will contribute to a more effective memorization of the lexical minimum, the mastery of which will help students to perform a detailed study of derived words aimed to determine their meanings.

Conclusion

The studies of the models and micromodels of the word-formation minimum allow drawing the following conclusions:

1. The unit of selecting a word-formation minimum and teaching word-formation study is not recommended to be a model, but a micro-model;

2. At all stages of learning German, both at school and at university, the models of both simple and complex word formation, as well as the micro-models with the most frequently used prefixal and suffixal words should be revised;

3. The teaching of the word-formation minimum and the teaching of word-formation analysis should be based on models and pass from the models to micro-models, selecting for each model, clearly useful units for the teaching of word-formation.

4. In the foreign language program for both general education schools and institutions of higher education, the special attention to the study of the word-formation minimum should be paid;

At all stages, students are encouraged to learn the initial derivational morphemes of word-formation, as well as the models and micro-models of both simple and compound words.

6. The word-formation minimum should give the meaning of basic word-formation models and micro-models, which are part of the word-formation components, knowledge of which will help students to perform a detailed study of derived words.

7. In the course of teaching of the word-formation minimum according to the principle "from model to micro-model", students must first know that the modern German vocabulary is based using the main models of vocabulary stems that were discussed here. Each of these models definitely includes a micro-model, which plays an important role in the formation of the word-formation minimum.

8. The offered tables allow rationalizing the process of learning the word-formation minimum and teaching word-formation study during the introduction of the lexical bases and teaching the semantics of words during reading foreign literature.

9. In the process of studying the word-formation minimum and teaching word-formation analysis, it is recommended to use the proposed in the article the table of word-formation models and micro-models. Thus, when organizing the study of the word-formation minimum and training in word-formation analysis from the particular to the general, from micro-models to models, students need to be familiar with main models for a better orientation in the process of word-formation of the studied foreign language.

10. The importance of the proposed word-formation minimum for all stages of training is the following:

This article is structured upon the lists of word-formation models based on validated lists of micro-models.

The basis of the word-formation minimum is its definition, the principle of selection and study of the word-formation minimum and teaching of word-formation analysis, as well as the principles from the general to the particular, from models to micro-models.

Summarizing the preceding arguments, we can conclude that this word-formation minimum will contribute to a more effective memorization of the lexical minimum, the mastery of which will help students to perform a detailed study of derived words aimed to determine their meanings.

References

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