4.5  Clipping

    Another common way of making a word is to shorten, or clip a longer word, known as clipping. It is the formation of new words by cutting a part off the original and using what remains instead. For example, omnibus has given way to its shortened form bus. Similarly, plane and exam are sometimes used in place of aeroplane, and examination respectively.

    In modern times, people tend to be economical in writing and speech to keep up with the tempo （节奏） of the new life style. To save time one is likely to clip words that are frequently used, e.g. bike for bicycle, auto for automobile, taxi for taximeter cabriolet. In schools we use econ , gym , math , and trig for economics , gymnastics, mathematics, trigonometry（三角几何）. In catering business（餐饮业）, we eat lunch instead of luncheon , have a burger instead of a hamburger, and take a coke instead of cocacola ( CocaCola ) .

    

    There are four common types of clipping:

    1) Front Clipping

      copter (helicopter)    phone (telephone)

      quake (earthquake)    chute (parachute) （降落伞）

      drome (aerodrome)（飞机场）

1)  Back Clipping 

        deli (delicatessen) （熟食店）

    memo (memorandum)

    stereo (stereophonic) （立体声）

    gent (gentleman)

    fan (fanatic)  （迷）

    exec (executive)（执行）

    disco (discotheque)（迪斯科）

3)  Front and Back Clipping 

   flu (influenza)

       fridge (BrE refrigerator)

       jams (pajamas)（睡衣）

    4)  Phrase Clipping

       pub (BrE public house) 

       zoo (zoological garden)

       pop (popular music)

       perm (permanent waves) （烫卷发）      

  

    In some cases, clipping gives rise to alterations in spelling and pronunciation as indicated by fridge, in which the letter d is inserted between i and g to conform to the English ways of spelling and pronunciation. More examples are: bike from bicycle, mike (BrE ) from microphone, coke from cocacola ( CocaCola ), pram from perambulator（测距仪）, and telly from television. This change in form and sound is possibly due to the informality typical of clipped forms. For convenience and casualness in speech, people often omit one or two syllables from a word; and then, when it is written down, a new spelling form is coined to suit the oral form as in ' cos (BrE because) and praps (perhaps), etc. . Occasionally, one may even find instances where a familiarity  marker is added at the end of clipped forms, e.g. hanky ( handkerchief ), and comfy ( comfortable ).