Persian Language Potentialities and Achievements in Word Formation

The new millennium is the age of new technologies and concepts − hence the need for coining equivalents in other languages. This article deals with the potentialities and abilities of Persian language in word formation. The first part points to the inherent features of Persian language concerning word formation. The second part deals with the essential word formation processes, i.e. compounding and derivation and those of secondary importance: coinage, acronym, borrowing, blending, semantic expanding, reanalysis, zero derivation, back formation, clipping, analogy …. Finally it is concluded that Iranians suffer from neologophobia, fear of coining new terms, as the biggest obstacle to be overcome.