Affixation (Derivation)

Affixation, the process of forming a new word by adding a derivational affix to ( the root or stem of) a word.

E.g., objection (fr. object)

unforgettable (fr. forgettable)

suitcaseful (fr. suitcase)

Affixation results in the formation of a derived or compound-derived word depending on the character of the stem.

Derivatives are formed from simple or affixed stems.

E.g., mile + -age = mileage

dis- + continue = discontinue

beautify + -ication = beutification

Compound-derivatives are formed from compound stems.

E.g., selfconscious + un- = unselfconsious

self-righteous + -ness = self-righteousness

Affixation is divided into prefixation, suffixation or infixation.

Prefixation, the adding of a prefix to (the root or stem of) a word.

E.g., dis- + service = disservice

sub- + conscious = subconscious

il- + logical = illogical

Suffixation, the adding of a derivational suffix to (the root or stem of) a word.

E.g., tiger + -ess = tigress

literary + -ism = literarism

partner + -ship = partnership

subconscious + -ness = subconsciousness

Infixation (tmesis), the adding of an infix to (the root or stem of) a word.

E.g., I was born in West-by God-Virginia. (Chapman)

I can’t find it any-blooming-where (Chalker & Weiner)

abso-bloody-lutely (Chalker & Weiner)

Besides derivation, an affixed word can result from:

Compounding: eye-catcher; inn-keeper; looker- upper

Conversion: reclaim n. ; manual n.

Abbreviation: decaf (fr. decaffeinated)

Back-formation: unease (fr. uneasy)

Blending : transistor (fr. transfer + resistor)

Borrowing (loan derivative) : subject; doctrine

Synchronically derivational affixes may be classified according to:

1) the lexico-grammatical class of words they form

E.g., noun-forming (disbelief, drainage, mobster)

verb-forming (untie, uglify, etc.)

2) the lexico-grammatical character of the source stem (the stem they are added to)

E.g., noun-stem (expresident, boyhood, rainy)

verbal stem (shipment, readable, rewrite, etc.)

Monovalent affixes are added to one lexico-grammatical type of stem.

E.g., -eer is added only to noun-stems: auctioneer

a- is added to adjectival stems to form adverbs: afresh [see table 1, table 2]

Multivalent affixes are added to more than one lexico-grammatical type of stem.

E.g., non-: non-fat, non-stick, non-criminal

-ness: agelessness, otherness, oneness

Transpositive affixes change the lexico-grammatical meaning of the word.

E.g., be- + friend (n.) = befriend (v. t.)

non- + stop (v.) = non-stop (adj)

employ (v.) + -ee = employee (n.)

Non-transpositive affixes do not change the lexico-grammatical character of the word.

E.g., ex- + wife (n.) = ex-wife (n.)

mis- + inform (v.) = misinform (v.)

mob (n.) + -ster = mobster (n.)

green (adj.) + -ish = greenish (adj.) [

The majority of suffixes are transpositive. The majority of prefixes are non-transpositive.

Morphological Structure of Stems involved in affixation:

1) root: unkind, hopeful

2) derived (prefixed and/or suffixed): childishly, replacement

3) compound: nightmarish

4) compound-derived: absentmindedness

5) abbreviated: ex-con, hubby

6) phrase: middle-of- the-roader, out-of-towner

Allomorph is a positional variant of an affix occurring in a specific environment and characterized by complementary distribution.

E.g., in- /il- / im- / ir-

inactive, illegal, immortal, impure, irreducible

com- / col- / con- / cor- / co- (Lat. cum : with, together, jointly)

conduct, collaborate, commensurate, correlate, coexist

ex- / ef- / e- ( Lat. ex )

exclude, elect, emit, effort

-able / -ible

capable, legible [see table 2]

Etymological Background of English Affixes

Native Prefixes

a- 1. (OE an, on: on, in, into) ashore, afire

a- 2. (OE of - : of, off, away from) anew, akin

a- 3. (OE a- : out, up) arise , awake

be- (OE bi -: by, near) betroth; befriend; behead

mis- (OE mis- : bad, badly) misbehave, misprint

un- (OE un- : not, without, reversal of) unfair; unfold; untruth

Native Suffixes

-y (OE -ig) sleepy, sandy

-ly (OE -lic : form ) brotherly

-ish (OE -isc: having the quality of) foolish; reddish

-en (OE -en: made of) leaden

-ful (OE -ful, -full: full) spoonful; spiteful

-less (OE -leas: less) childless

-ward(s) (OE -weard: to, toward) backward

-ness (OE -ness, -nes, -nyss, -nys) kindness

-ship (OE -scipe fr. scyppan create) friendship

-hood (OE hād: condition, quality) childhood

-dom (OE dōm : judgement) wisdom

-er (OE -ere) player

-ster (OE -istr, -estre) mobster

-ling (OE -ling) urderling

-ock (OE -oc, -uc: small) hillock

-le (OE -el, -il, -ol) icicle, handle

-en (OE - nian) frighten

Borrowed (Loan) Prefixes

Latin-Derived Prefixes

ab-/abs-/a- (Lat. ab-: away, from) abduct

ad-/a- (Lat. ad-: to, toward, at) advent, accident

ante- (Lat. ante-: before) anteroom

com-/co- ... (Lat. com-: with, together ) compress

de- (Lat. de-: away from, off) depend, depress

dis-/di- (Lat. dis-: away, from, apart) dismiss, different

ex-/e-/ef- (Lat. ex-: out of) excursion, elocution, effort

in-/im- (Lat. in-: in, into, within) impel, incise

in-/im- (Lat. in-: not) inert, imperfect

inter- (Lat. inter-: between, among) interlocutor

non- (Lat. non-: not, without) nonsense

ob-/o- (Lat. ob-: to, forward, against) obvious, omit

per- (Lat. per-: through) perforate

post- (Lat. post-: behind, after) postscript

pre- (Lat. prae-: before) predict

pro- (Lat. pro-: before, forward, forth) progeny, profession

re- (Lat. re-: back, again, anew) reverse

sub-/sus- (Lat. sub-: under, below) submarine, suggest, support, sustain

sur- (Lat. super-: over, above, beyond) surname, supreme

trans- (Lat. trans-: over, across, beyond) transatlantic, transform

Greek-Derived Prefixes

a-/an- (Gk a-, an-: without, not) amoral

ana-/an- (Gk ana-: up, back, again) analysis, anagram, anode

anti- (Gk anti-: against, opposite of) antonym

dia- (Gk dia-: through, across) diagnose, diabetes

dys- (Gk dys-: bad, difficult) dyslexia

en-/em-/el- (Gk en-: into, within) endemic, ellipsis, empathy

syn-/sym-/sy- (Gk syn-: with, together) symposium, synonym

Borrowed (Loan) Suffixes

Latin-Derived Suffixes

-al manual, gradual

-ar lunar, muscular

-ic volcanic

-an American

-ary military

-able/-ible/-ble/-bil visible, viable

-ile/-il agile

-ive reflective

-ous famous

-lent violent

-ate adequate

-ite composite

-ant militant

-ent affluent

-y injury

-ine medicine

-ice service

-or pallor

-ty society

-ion diction, injection

-ment basement

-ure/-ur pressure, literature

-ance/-ence attendance, conference

-ary vocabulary

-or investor, actor

-ary/-arium library, aquarium

-ory dormitory

-age courage

-ate speculate

-fy specify

Russian-Derived Suffixes

-nik no-goodnik

-sky buttinsky

Greek-Derived Suffixes

-ia/-y anemia, agony

-sis/-sy hypocrisy, diagnosis

-ism heightism

-ist Marxist

-ite Israelite

-tery monastery

-isk asterisk

-ac cardiac

-oid asteroid

-ize advertize

French-Derived Suffixes

-esque picturesque

-ess poetess

-ette cigarette

-oon balloon, cartoon

-lier electrolier

Italian/Spanish-Derived Suffixes

-erino bitcherino

-o freako, muso, luxo

Hybrid is a word formed from words or morphemes derived from different languages.

E.g., readable (Native + Latin)

refusenik (Latin + Russian)

commuter (Latin + Native)

unpredictable (Native + Latin + Latin + Latin)

Polysemantic affixes possess several connected meanings as the result of the development and changes of their original meanings.

E.g., un- 1) to reverse action: untie

2) to deprive of, to take out of: unhive, unearth

-ful 1) the amount which N contains: barrelful

2) having ..., giving...: useful, helpful

Monosemantic affixes possess only one meaning.

E.g., -able/-ible, able/worthy to be V-ed: allowable, gradable

-less, without: colorless

pre-, before: predefine, prehistoric

re-, again, back: rewrite

[see vocabulary definitions]

General meaning

Prefixes

1. negative: un-, non-, dis-, in-, a-

2. reversative: un-, de-, dis-

3. repetitive: re-

4. spacial (locative): sub-, sur-, trans-, inter-, pre-, ex-, in-

5. temporal: pre-, post-, fore-, ex-

6. quantitative (numerical): uni-, mono-, bi-, tri-, semi-, poli-

7. evaluative: mal-, arch-, mis-, eu-, dys-, dis-

8. accompanying (attendant): con-, anti-, cor-, syn-, pro-

Suffixes

1. personal/non-personal agent: -er, -or, -sky, -ey, -o, -ster, -ist, -ian

2. nationality, inhabitant of, member of community: -o, -an, -er

3. feminine: -ess, -stress, -ette

4. diminutive (size): -ie, -y, -eme, -ling, -ette, -let, -ock, -le

5. action, activity (abstract): -al, -fication, -ance, -y, -ment, -ion, -ism

6. collectivity: -ry, -age

7. state, condition, quality: -dom, -ty, -ness, -hood, -ship, -ity

8. scientific thought, political movement, attitude: -ism, -ocracy

9. material, substance: -on, -ite, -en

10. amount, quantity: -age, -ful, -teen, -th

11. attitude (affection, humour, familiarity, pejoration,): -ers, -arooney, -ie, -y, -oo, -ard, -ess, -ling

12. direction: -ward, -erly, -ling

13. quality: -ish