Question

Which linguistic process can be seen in the formation of the following words? i. smog, ii. brunch, iii. motel, iv. telecast

• A. Borrowing
• B. Compounding
• C. Blending
• D. Backformation

Hint:

Mnemonic: If the word looks like a "hybrid short form" (e.g., smog, brunch), it is most likely a blend.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall definition of blending.
Blending is the process of creating a new word by combining parts of two (sometimes more) words, usually the beginning of one and the end of another. The result fuses both sound and meaning.

Step 2: Analyze the given words. \begin{itemize} \item smog = smoke + fog. \item brunch = breakfast + lunch. \item motel = motor + hotel. \item telecast = television + broadcast. \end{itemize} Each case is a clear example of blending, not simple compounding (which keeps words intact, e.g., "blackboard").

Step 3: Eliminate other processes. - Borrowing = taking words from another language (e.g., "bungalow" from Hindi). Not applicable. - Compounding = whole words joined (e.g., "toothbrush"). Not the case here. - Backformation = forming a simpler word by removing an affix (e.g., "edit" from "editor"). Not relevant. \[ \boxed{\text{Answer: Blending (C)}} \]