Karen Chard ~
Modified: 11-05-2022 ~ How To ~ 4 Minutes Reading
Are you facing problems while using a version of Word newer than the version used to create your Word document? Do you convert old Word to new word? Each and everyday we are encountering new technologies & its updates. Likewise, Microsoft also created some updations in there existing software applications. This creates some difficulties among the normal Word document users. So that in this blog we are going to discuss how to convert old word documents to new format.
We all know that MS Word document is one of the most commonly used text documents all over the world. More than the application version updation the change in Word file format created problems among normal users. The only existing solution to solve this issue by converting the old Word files to new one. In the following section, we are going to introduce one of the best solution with its complete working procedure.
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Convert Old Word Documents to New Word Format – Complete Solution
Follow the simple Step by step procedure to convert old Word files to new:
1. Install & run the Word document converter on your system.
2. Load the old Word documents to through Select File/ Folder & click Next button.
3. Select the required files to convert from the given list. Then click on Next button.
4. Choose DOCX as Saving option & enter the desired destination location.
5. Finally hit the Convert button. Then the tool start to convert old Word to new Word.
*Note: If you want to save your converted Word document in the same source folder. Then select the Save Converted Messages in Same Source Folder option.
Secure Solution to Convert Old Word Files to New Format
Word document converter is the best choice for the users whom all are trying to change their old Word document to new format. It provides a fast & secure conversion by maintaining data integrity. The self-explanatory nature of the software interface helps all type of users to easily work with the tool. Even without any special guidance. The utility is a complete offline solution which convert old word to new word. So that your data will always safe with yourself & you don’t have to worry about misuse by others.
With the help of this software, you can convert any number of document files without any file size limitations. It also provides a free trial version to experience the software features before purchasing it. It works with the limitation of only convert 5 files from each folder. Get the licensed version to convert old Word documents to new without any limitations.
Old Word Document to New Word Converter Features
- Convert Multiple old Word files to New: The software supports single as well as multiple word file conversion. It batch convert old Word documents to new file format.
- Desired Destination Selection Option: User can save the resultant Word document in the desired system location. It also allows to choose same source folder through Save Converted Messages in Same Source Folder option.
- Dual Upload Option Support: The tool provides a dual option to upload the old Word document. Through Select File or Select Folder option you can add single or multiple Word files.
- Secure Conversion: The utility securely convert old Word documents to new by preserving all properties.
- Windows Compatible: The tool can easily install and work with all the versions of the Windows operating system.
Closing Words
In this blog, we explained the complete solution to convert old Word documents to new Word. The above mentioned step by step procedure enables the fast & secure conversion of Word files. You can go with the trial version to experience the software features.
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Microsoft Office apps are designed to completely satisfy the present user requirements. So, if you are looking for a way to convert old Word documents into the latest Word format, it’s possible. Follow the instructions given below to change old Word format into the latest Word format.
The previous editions of Microsoft Word used .doc file format to save the documents as the default file format. This was later changed to .docx file format. The new format has many advantages. For example, the small size of DOCX files enables users to share, store, email, backup much easily as compared to larger DOC files with the same content & information.
If you want to convert the old Word document into the latest Word format, you have three methods to do so:
- Using the Word app Compatibility Mode
- Using the ‘Save As’ option
- Via Word Online.
1] Using Word App Compatibility Mode
Find the old Word document. When found, right-click it and select ‘Open With’ > Word.
When the document opens, select the ‘File’ tab at choose ‘Info’ option from the left sidebar.
Select ‘Convert’ tile of the Compatibility mode. This mode becomes visible in the toolbar when you’re using a version of Word that’s newer than the version used to create your document. It temporarily disables new or enhanced Word features.
Instantly, a popup will appear on your computer screen, prompting you to confirm your action.
Hit the OK button to complete the action. When you do so, your document will be upgraded to the newest file format. The size of your file will also be reduced.
2] Using the ‘Save As’ option
The simplest way to upgrade your document is to use the Word’s ‘Save’ menu.
To use this method, open the document, click on the ‘File’ tab and select ‘Save As’ option.
After that, simply choose the Word Document (.docx) from the format drop-down menu and hit Save.
3] Via Word Online
If you do not have the Office app installed, you can still achieve the desired result. Here’s how!
Go to Office.live.com and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Then, select ‘Upload and open’ option. It’ll let you upload your old Word file from your computer.
Navigate to the folder where your document is and select it for it to be uploaded online.
When the file is uploaded and is open on your screen, click ‘File’ > ‘Info’ > ‘Previous versions’ > ‘Download’.
Click ‘Download’ to start downloading the document to your computer in the latest format.
How to convert a newer Word Document to an older version
If, for some reason, you need to convert a newer Word Document to an older version, the easiest way would be to use the “Save As.” option and opt to save the file with an older Word format say, .doc file.
I hope this helps.
A post-graduate in Biotechnology, Hemant switched gears to writing about Microsoft technologies and has been a contributor to TheWindowsClub since then. When he is not working, you can usually find him out traveling to different places or indulging himself in binge-watching.
In the most recent edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, 171,476 words that are currently in use are included, together with 47,156 words that are obsolete. Derivative words number about 9,500. These are added as subentries. Still many more are included in the 20-volume dictionary. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (3rd Edition, Unabridged) has about 470,000 entries, which is similar to the entries in Oxford Dictionary. Merriam-Webster also reports that the English vocabulary contains between 750,000 and one million words.
We take words for granted because we have been hearing and using them since birth. But if you think about it, where do new words come from?
Formation of new words
Very few words are invented by coining from a series of sounds that are chosen randomly. Many of them come from existing words with new meanings given. Some words are formed by changing some parts of speech. Still others create new words by combining different parts. They are called neologisms, which were manifested around 1772.
Neologisms are words that can come from several sources. For example, the word ”quark” came from “Finnegan’s Wake” by James Joyce, while ”cyberspace” came from William Gibson’s “Neomancer.”
The title of the novel “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller became an often-used phrase to describe a circumstance that is too difficult such that there is no escape in sight because the conditions are reciprocally conflicting. Names of authors become descriptive words as well, such as “Kafkaesque” and “Orwellian” from Franz Kafka and James Orwell, respectively.
Characters from famous books are also sources of new words, such as ”pollyanna,” (overly optimistic), ”scrooge” (selfish) and ”quixotic” (idealistic, romantic, unrealistic).
New words become integrated though constant use. Selected countries have organizations that adjudge when words are accepted. However, even if words are accepted, how people speak is not directly influenced by that. Phrasing is determined by which words are included in a language. The way people use words tells a lot about their culture.
In popular culture
Technology and culture are also influential in the development of neologism. Some of the latest neologisms in pop-culture are “Monstration” in Russian and ”Snowmageddon” in Canadian.
You might also remember the Doggo-Lingo that was popular in social media a few years back. Doggo-Lingo was used by some groups on Twitter and Facebook who posted pictures of dogs with funny captions. It became popular in Australia, a country known for creating diminutives of words and giving them an ”o” ending.
Still other words come from popular brands, such as ”Colgate” that became a common term for ”toothpaste” even if it is made by a different company. Others that belong to this group include Frigidaire, Xerox, Coke and Kleenex.
Effect on translations
Neologisms come from one language therefore translating them into other languages can be problematic.
Naturalization is used when doing translations that sound similar to English for published studies and research. Likewise, the English word is retained accompanied by a short explanation of its meaning. When translating neologisms, four translation methods are put into focus: loan translation, calque, use of analogues and transcription and transliteration.
Naturalization is usually used when English is the source language. Translators typically apply the ”think aloud protocol” when translating neologisms. This is the way they can find the appropriate word that sounds the most natural for the new word when used in speech. This is important because the right translation is critical in the legal systems and several industries. When the translation is inaccurate, it can lead to conceptual misunderstanding (translation asymmetry) that can result in miscommunication.
Embedding
It takes time for new words to be embedded into mainstream language. Some languages often borrow English neologisms and include them in their modern lexicon. For example, it is very rare for new words to be created in the Danish language, but it has borrowed several from English, including ”twerking, ”Brexit,” ”blog,” ”click bait,” ”selfie” and ”foodie.” Some of the spellings of borrowed words were altered to fit local spelling, such as ”metroseksuel” and ”oute.” The latter came from the word, ”out,” a term meaning, ”to out someone as a homosexual.”
Other words came from more exotic source, such as the Italian “barista” and the Japanese “emoji” that were introduced into other languages from English rather than from their original source. An exception is the word, ”quinoa” that was directly borrowed from Spanish, which was also sourced by the Spanish language from the Quechua, an indigenous language spoken in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.
English-sounding words that did not come from English
Surprisingly, there are new words that did not come from the English language. ”Helicopter parents” is a term used to describe parents who continuously hover over their children. In Denmark, what they use is ”curlingforaeldre” that translates to ”curling parents.” This means that the parents sweep aside all the obstacles that are on the path of their children. Some were used by Danes long before they became known to English speakers, like “facerape” and “fit to fight.” Danish speakers even have literal translations of English terms such as “svingvaelger” (swing voter), ”undskyld mit franske” (pardon my French) and ”veryvrede” (road rage).
What becomes clear is that globalization has something to do with the creation of new words because more people are learning English and adapting English to fit their own local language.
Processes of new word creation
The history of linguistic forms is called etymology. In an English dictionary, the etymology of a word is included, which describes what is known about the work before it was included in the dictionary. If it is a loanword, its etymology backtracks the process of the word from entering the English language to its earliest source.
An etymologist understands that various methods of how a new word is formed. Several processes are utilized and some of the important ones are as follows.
1. Borrowing
A large part of the English words used today came from foreign sources. A majority came from Greek and Latin, but English still borrowed words from almost all the languages spoken in Europe. In the process of linguistic acquisition, the voyages of Englishmen during the Renaissance period enriched the traditional English language.
Some of these include French, Dutch, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Gothic, Celtic languages, Norman and Indian (khaki, shampoo, curry, jungle, pajamas). English was also influenced by Old Norse (knife, sky, egg), Arabic (mohair, saffron, henna, cotton, coffee) as well as Yiddish and Hebrew (jubilee, kosher).
2. Clipping or shortening
Another method in the creation of new words is truncation or clipping. This means that part of an existing word is removed. The process could be back clipping, for example gymnasium becomes ”gym” and examination was clipped to form, ”exam.” Some words are fore-clipped, although this is rare. Examples are influenza that became ”flu” and telephone that was shortened to ”phone.”
3. Functional shift
This method involves a shift in the function of a word, such as a verb form becoming a noun. Some examples are gaslight, party and accessorize.
4. Back formation and affixation
In back formation, a supposed or real affix (suffix or prefix) is omitted from an existing word to form a new word. Enthusiasm, which is a noun, became ”enthuse,” which is verb. The small apple-like fruit called cherry, used to be called ”cherise.” However, many users thought that it looks like a plural term and started using ”cherry” that they thought was the singular term for the fruit. ”Liaise” came from the noun, liaison.
On the other hand, affixation is the method of adding prefixes or suffixes, like in the words, ”awesomeness,” ”subprime” or ”semi-celebrity.”
5. Blends
Combining parts of or entire words is called a blend. In some words, they overlap. For example, ”chortle” was created from parts of two words – ”snort” and ”chuckle.” Other examples include ”motel” that was a combination of motor and hotel, ”brunch” from breakfast and lunch. Blends are words that you cannot break into morphemes. They are different from compound words, for example, psychohistory and birdcage, which you can divide into two stand-alone words. New ones include ”staycation” (stay and vacation) and ”pixel” that stands for picture and element.
6. Acronyms
Several acronyms are accepted as words, such as FBI (pronounced F-B-I), MRI (M-R-I, for Magnetic Resonance Imaging), NASA (NA-SA) and NATO (NA-TO). In this examples, you can still see that they started as acronyms, particularly because they are written in capital letters (uppercase). Some words that used to be acronyms are now written in lowercase, like ”radar” that stands from ”radio detecting and ranging.” In the medical field, you often hear the term CT scan or CAT scan, which stands for ”computed tomography” scan or ”computerized axial tomography” scan.
7. Transfer of place or personal names
New words can be formed by using the names of things, places or people. For example, ”denim” came from serge de Nimes, while ”silhouette” was from a Frenchman named Étienne de Silhouette. William Forsyth, a botanist from Scotland, lent his name to the flower called ”forsythia.”
8. Onomatopoeia
Many words were formed by the imitation of the sounds they are associated with, such as ”pop,” ”whiz,” ”guffaw,” ”hiss” and ”buzz.”
9. Popular etymology
Sometimes referred to as folk etymology, this process alters a word to either partially resemble a familiar word or make sense of a word that has been borrowed. An example of this is ”feverfew” that came from febrigugia¸ a Late Latin word for a medicinal plant that translates to ”fever expeller.”
10. Combining elements
Another process, mentioned earlier is the combining elements that already exist to create new words, without considering if the words in their original language match. Many of these combination words can be found in technical and scientific terms.
11. Creative and literary coinage
At times, a creative play on words leads to the creation of new words. ”Googol” was coined in 1920 by Milton Sirotta. At that time, he was only nine years old. A googol is represented by 10100. ”Boondoggle,” which means pointless or meaningless activity was first used in 1927 as a scouting term.
From these you’ll realize the origin of new words that made it into the English lexicon. They enrich the language and influence other languages as well. Ensure that your documents, which may contain a combination of old and new words are properly translated from or into English and other languages by calling the experts. Day Translations, Inc. has a large team of human translators who are native speakers of over 100 languages. They are located all over the world and ready to serve you translation needs. We have subject matter experts to translate medical, legal, business art and other documents for specialized fields. You can get in touch with Day Translations through email at contact@daytranslations.com or through phone at 1-800-969-6853. You can reach us anytime, anywhere you are. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year.
Image Copyright: rawpixel / 123RF Stock Photo
Words sometimes have two meanings, as Led Zeppelin sang in “Stairway to Heaven.” And indeed they often do. Especially, words can acquire new meanings and lose old ones. For example, “audition” once meant the power of hearing. Now it means trying out for a role, such as singer in band, actor in a movie, dancer, and so on. And a “natural” was once a person born with impaired intelligence. Now it more commonly means born with a special talent — the exact opposite — as in “The lead singer’s a natural.”
The English language is constantly evolving, and words sometimes acquire new meanings because of technological change. A carbon copy was originally a duplicate made using carbon paper. We don’t do that anymore, but we regularly CC people on emails. Truck once meant an exchange. Now, it’s a vehicle that carries heavy loads (although it has retained the earlier meaning in the expression “to have no truck with”).
Words also evolve differently in different places. Sometimes they diverge so much that a new meaning in one place may be unknown or incomprehensible in another. Here’s a list of Canadian slang words and phrases Americans just don’t get. Here’s a similar list for Australia. And here is one for Britain.
24/7 Tempo used the Oxford University and Dictionary.com collaboration Lexico.com’s list of Archaic Words That Used To Be Common In English to compile a list of old words that have acquired new meanings.
Click here to see 36 Old Words We Use Today But With New Meanings.
Have you ever experienced textpectation? According to the Urban Dictionary, that’s «the anticipation one feels when waiting for a response to a text message.» This new word, textpectation, is an example of a blend or (in Lewis Carroll’s more fanciful phrase) a portmanteau word. Blending is just one of the many ways that new words enter the English language, and more new words are being invented constantly!
The English language has developed over centuries, and many of the words we use today have come about from one of two overarching sources: evolving words from English or English-adjacent languages themselves, or deriving from loan words from other languages. Some of those adapted words, called cognates, still sound similar to the words in other languages that they’re related to, but this isn’t always the case — false cognates, or words that sounds like they should be related in meaning but actually aren’t, can trip up even expert writers.
In fact, most new words are actually old words in different forms or with fresh functions. We often think about word formation as something that happened centuries ago, but in fact, it’s something that continues to this day. Language is constantly evolving and expanding! As some words fall out of fashion and into obscurity, others come into being, often because of highly specific contexts of time and place. This process of fashioning new words out of old ones is called derivation — and here are six of the most common types of word formation:
Affixation:
Over half of the words in our language have been formed by adding prefixes and suffixes to root words. Recent coinages of this type include semi-celebrity, subprime, awesomeness, and Facebookable.
From a logical perspective, affixation is probably the type of new work formation that is easiest to figure out or to use to «create» new words in casual speech. It relies on the fact that these suffixes or prefixes have known, stable definitions, so they can be attached to any existing word to layer their meaning. Affixation may create «official», formal words as well as slang.
Back Formation:
Reversing the process of affixation, a back-formation creates a new word by removing an affix from an already existing word, for example liaise from liaison and enthuse from enthusiasm. The logic of forming these words often follows established patterns of grammar and word structure, making them fairly predictable in their creation.
Blending:
A blend or a portmanteau word is formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. Examples might include Frankenfood (a combination of Frankenstein and food), pixel (picture and element), staycation (stay and vacation), and Viagravation (Viagra and aggravation).
In many (though not all) cases, words that are created via blending are slang words with a certain element of tongue-in-cheek playfulness. In the case of words like staycation, they may even combine two words with seemingly opposing meanings. They may also involve puns or other wordplay (for instance, Frankenfood makes play on words by stitching two words together, just like Frankenstein’s monster is stitched together from separate parts).
Clipping:
Clippings are shortened forms of words, such as blog (short for web log), zoo (from zoological garden), and flu (from influenza). In many instances, these clipped words will overtake their words of origin in popular usage, to the point where the original words or phrases become obsolete. No one calls a blog a «web log» anymore, and although «influenza» is still a valid medical term, common parlance is to simply call that particular family of viruses «the flu.»
Compounding:
A compound is a fresh word or expression made up of two or more independent words: office ghost, tramp stamp, breakup buddy, backseat driver. Phrases like these will create a new, specific image separate from their individual parts, often with highly specific connotations or figurative language. A «backseat driver,» for instance, refers to a person who tries to direct or advise the driver of a vehicle, often to an annoying degree, figuratively «driving» from the back seat.
Conversion:
By this process (also known as functional shift), new words are formed by changing the grammatical functions of old words, such as turning nouns into verbs (or verbing): accessorize, party, gaslight. Much like back formation, the formation of these words tends to emphasize known grammatical conventions.