Univerbation is a problematic way of word formation in German language

Abstract

The article analyzes derivational univerbation as one of the forms of compression functioning in word formation. Univerbation is a merging, pulling together of a free or stable word combination, a sentence or a sentence fragment into one verbal whole. The new word-forming construction in its form corresponds with one word, and in its semantics with the whole word combination. It is not uncommon for a new word to “absorb” the meaning of the context. The activity of universalization is closely connected with the need for “economical” nominations of new concepts, as well as with the need for stylistic variation of the name. This way of word formation allows creating compact, economical, concise and succinct forms of expressing thoughts without special speech efforts. The problematic character of this derivational model is that there is an extended interpretation of the essence of word formation methods.