A very specialized type of reduction process is known as backformation. Typically, a word of one type (usually a noun) is reduced to form a word of another type (usually a 56 The Study of Language verb). A good example of backformation is the process whereby the noun television first came into use and then the verb televise was created from it. Other examples of words created by this process are: donate (from “donation”), emote (from “emotion”), enthuse (from “enthusiasm”), liaise (from “liaison”) and babysit (from “babysitter”). Indeed, when we use the verb backform (Did you know that “opt” was backformed from “option”?), we are using a backformation.

One very regular source of backformed verbs in English is based on the common pattern worker – work. The assumption seems to have been that if there is a noun ending in -er (or something close in sound), then we can create a verb for what that noun -er does. Hence, an editor will edit, a sculptor will sculpt and burglars, peddlers and swindlers will burgle, peddle and swindle.