How to Coin a Word
Learn how words work., Brush up on your grammar., Study suffixes and prefixes., Study other languages.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn how words work.
Words act as signifiers for the object or concept that they are describing.
Therefore, in order for a word to have any meaning, it has to be related to some form of object or idea.
This relation can be specific or vague.
For example “tree” calls to mind the concept of a tree, but could refer to any type of tree.
The word “tree” itself is not descriptive in any way of what a tree looks like or any other characteristic of a tree, but it is attached to the meaning and thus will always recall the idea of a tree in the reader’s mind.
Words you create will necessarily need to connect to an idea, object, or action in order to make sense.
This connection is built through context, or how you use the word and how it is affected by the words around it. -
Step 2: Brush up on your grammar.
In order to create a convincingly real word, it will need to be grammatically correct.
The grammar of your sentence will help provide the context for your meaning.
Decide what part of speech your word belongs to.
Is it a noun, referring to a person, place or thing? Is it a verb, describing an action? Is it an adjective, a word that describes a noun? Is it an adverb, a word describing an action? Knowing where your word fits into grammatical structure will help you build convincing sentences with it. , Many of the words in the English language come from adding a suffix or prefix to an existing word.
Try adding a suffix or prefix to a word you wish to modify.
Add a “-tastic” to the end of a word to imply that something was fantastic, either genuinely or sarcastically.
For example, after going to see a concert, you could say that it was “rocktastic”.
Create an adjective by adding “y” to a noun.
For example: “It had a newspapery feel to it.” , Many English words are derived from foreign languages.
Taking concepts from foreign words can give your word a more credible and “realistic” feel.
Latin and German are two very good languages to investigate when looking for base words. -
Step 3: Study suffixes and prefixes.
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Step 4: Study other languages.
Detailed Guide
Words act as signifiers for the object or concept that they are describing.
Therefore, in order for a word to have any meaning, it has to be related to some form of object or idea.
This relation can be specific or vague.
For example “tree” calls to mind the concept of a tree, but could refer to any type of tree.
The word “tree” itself is not descriptive in any way of what a tree looks like or any other characteristic of a tree, but it is attached to the meaning and thus will always recall the idea of a tree in the reader’s mind.
Words you create will necessarily need to connect to an idea, object, or action in order to make sense.
This connection is built through context, or how you use the word and how it is affected by the words around it.
In order to create a convincingly real word, it will need to be grammatically correct.
The grammar of your sentence will help provide the context for your meaning.
Decide what part of speech your word belongs to.
Is it a noun, referring to a person, place or thing? Is it a verb, describing an action? Is it an adjective, a word that describes a noun? Is it an adverb, a word describing an action? Knowing where your word fits into grammatical structure will help you build convincing sentences with it. , Many of the words in the English language come from adding a suffix or prefix to an existing word.
Try adding a suffix or prefix to a word you wish to modify.
Add a “-tastic” to the end of a word to imply that something was fantastic, either genuinely or sarcastically.
For example, after going to see a concert, you could say that it was “rocktastic”.
Create an adjective by adding “y” to a noun.
For example: “It had a newspapery feel to it.” , Many English words are derived from foreign languages.
Taking concepts from foreign words can give your word a more credible and “realistic” feel.
Latin and German are two very good languages to investigate when looking for base words.
About the Author
Dennis Kennedy
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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