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In pidgin morphology, what is the term for combining two or more existing words to create a new word?



In pidgin morphology, the term for combining two or more existing words to create a new word is compounding. Compounding is a common strategy in pidgin languages for expanding their vocabulary, especially because pidgins often have simplified morphological systems with fewer prefixes and suffixes. An example of compounding in Tok Pisin is 'haus sik', which combines 'haus' (house) and 'sik' (sick) to mean 'hospital'. This process allows speakers to create new words by linking existing, readily understood terms, making the vocabulary more accessible and adaptable.