Abstract

This paper introduces the idea of graphematic word formation. For this purpose, I will discuss the criteria of morphological word formation with respect to abbreviations ending in an abbreviation mark: means ,abbreviation' or means ,for example'. The criteria are: 1. There is a semantic shift between the original unit and the newly formed unit. 2. The newly formed unit may develop its own inflection. 3. The newly formed unit may belong to a different part of speech as the original unit. 4. The newly formed unit may consist of direct and binary constituents. 5. The newly formed unit may be linked to a proper pronunciation. Abbreviations fulfill the criteria, which are necessary for morphological word formation but they do not develop a proper pronunciation. An abbreviation's semantics can differ from the semantics of the original longer term and abbreviations can develop its own plural inflection. The paper's second part deals with the graphematic structure of abbreviations. Abbreviations ending with one abbreviation mark consist of three to five letters on average. They build graphematic syllables like any other graphematic word. Internal majuscules can furthermore occur in abbreviations as well as in acronyms to structure the graphematic word. The divis is suggested to function as a graphematic linking element.