Denativizing

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Stripping away or eliminating the native qualities, status, or character of something or someone
2. Causing something native to lose its indigenous identity or to become non-native in character
3. Depriving of native origin, status, or authenticity through a process of transformation or assimilation

Etymology: "Denativizing" is a formal coinage built from English parts rather than an old word with a long pedigree. It combines the prefix "de-", meaning "remove from" or "reverse," with "nativize," which means to make something native or to adapt it to a local environment, and the verb-forming suffix "-ize" plus the participle ending "-ing." Put together, it describes the process of stripping away a native quality, or of removing a thing from its original linguistic or cultural setting. The base word "nativize" is itself a relatively recent English formation, built from "native" and "-ize." The "de-" prefix has been productive in English since the late Middle Ages, drawn from Latin, and it is attached to many verbs such as "decentralize" and "demystify" that follow the same pattern. Because "denativizing" is a regular combination of these parts, its meaning can be worked out from its pieces, which is why it appears mainly in technical writing about language, culture, and translation rather than in everyday speech.