Word Formation System Based on Štekauer's Onomasiological Theory with a Look at Persian Language

Abstract

This article presents an introduction to an onomasiological theory of word-formation. Onomasiological theory presented by Pavol Štekauer is a cognitive theory which responds to naming demands of a speech community. The goal of this research is to describe the word-formation components of the onomasiological theory; meanwhile, we attempt to illustrate the fundamental principles of the theory via Farsi lexical units. The results stated that with respect to the seven levels assumed in the model of word-formation of this theory (i.e. speech community, extra- linguistic reality, conceptual level, semantic level, onomasiological level, onomatological level and phonological level) and five onomasiological types referred to as cluster types, the illustration of the word-formation systems is possible.

Keywords

• naming
• word formation system
• onomasiological theory
• persian language
• štekauer