Awareness of L1 and L2 word-formation mechanisms for the development of a more autonomous L2 learner

Unlike traditional approaches, new communicative trends disregard the role of word-formation mechanisms. They tend to focus on syntax and/or vocabulary without analyzing the mechanisms involved in the creation of lexical items. In this paper, based on the analysis of the use of prefixes by L2 learners in oral and written productions, as provided by the SULEC, we emphasize the advantages that word-formation awareness and knowledge may have for the learners in terms of production, creativity, understanding, autonomy, and proficiency. Through the teaching of word-formation learners may more easily decipher, decode and/or encode messages, create words they have never seen before, etc.

Word-formation and the translation of Marvel comic book charactonyms

This article analyzes the solutions given in Spanish translations to the morphological creativity shown in the names of Marvel comic book characters. The English versions almost invariably provide a full description of the hero (or villain) by means of a wide variety of word-formation mechanisms leading to highly expressive charactonyms. Indeed, examples shall be listed of names of comic book heroes created through compounding, derivation, including prefixation or suffixation (both classical and Anglo-Saxon but also from other origins), lexical blending, abbreviation, clipping, onomatopoeia, and borrowings from Spanish or from other languages. Early translations into Spanish seemed to be slightly less expressive than the original, even when the same word-formation mechanism was used, usually due to either problems of transparency mainly in some of the word parts or to translation constraints. In later periods, a number of factors, including the influence from other media featuring the same characters and the general trend towards globalization through English, have led translators to choose repetition as the most frequent strategy, which has almost eliminated the creative power of wordformation mechanisms in Spanish and their ability to convey the stylistic effects found in the English versions.