Affixation

Word-building
elements
free M=free
root
morphaffix
eme
bound
M
root
inf. A
prefix
der. A
suffix
Word-building elements
Basic statistics
Zeiger: Encyclopedia of English 1979)

Total: 647 (roots, affixes)
Roots: 359 (all from Latin and Greek
except 15)
Affixes: 288 (prefixes: 107 suffixes:
181)
123 from Latin and Greek, 43% 64%
59 from Anglo-Saxon,
21%
3. 1 Affixation
What is affixation?
affixes + bases = new words
the process of making new words by
adding affixes to bases
affixes = prefix + suffix
Characteristics:
Prefixes change meaning
Suffixes change part of speech
Prefixation
Definition:
prefix + base = new word
Process of making new words by
adding prefixes to bases
Classification:
Prefixes are classified according to
meaning.
Prefixation
Classes of prefixes: 9
1. Negative prefixes: 5
a-, dis- in-(il-,ir-,im-), non-, un- =
,,,
amoral
immoral
inability
disability
disinterested ( )
uninterested
illogical but disloyal
Prefixation
2. Reversative prefixes: 3
de-, dis-, un- = reverse the action
disunite
unwrap
decentralize
Prefixation
3. Pejorative prefixes: 3
mal-, mis-, pseudo- = bad, badly,
wrong
maltreatment
misuse
pseudo-science
Prefixation
4. Prefixes of degree or size: 15

arch-, hyper-, ultra-: (unusual)
Pair of synonym
extra-, super-: extra-large, superman
mini-, micro: mini-cinema, microscope
out-, sur-: outlive, surpass
Prefixation
4. Prefixes of degree or size: 15

arch-, hyper-, ultra-: (unusual)
Pair of antonyms
macro-, micro-: macrocosm, microcosm

under-, over-: underestimate, overestimate
super-, sub-: superstructure, sub-culture
Prefixation
5. Prefixes of orientation and

attitude:4
anti-, contra-, counter-, proanti-: anti-violence
counter-: counter-violence
contra-: contra-flow
pro-: pro-democratic
Prefixation
6. Locative prefixes: 6
extra-, fore-, inter-, intra-, tele-, transextra- = outside: extra-curriculum
fore- = front: forehead
inter- = between:
intra- = within: intra-linguistic
tele- = far
trans- = over, across: trans-Atlantic
Prefixation
7. Prefixes of time and order: 4

ex(former)
post(after)
pre(before)
re(again)
pre-, post-: pre-war, post-war (adj)
ex-: ex-president
re-: reorganize
Prefixation
8. Number prefixes: 8
uni-(mono-): unicycle
bi- :
bicycle
tri- :
tricycle
semi-(hemi-): hemisphere
multi-(poly-) : multi-national
Prefixation
9. Miscellaneous prefixes: 4
auto-: auto-biography
neo-: neo-classicism
pan-: pan-African
vice-: vice-chair
Prefixation
Highly productive prefixes: 4

de-: negate, reverse, remove
depenalize, defocus, depoliticize
defrost, defog, defeather, depost,
deschool (abolish traditional schools)
devalue (lessen the value of),
deplane, detrain (get off)
Prefixation
non-: (to nouns, adjectives, adverbs)

not, not important, of little
value,
not traditional
non-scientific, non-musician, nonadditive
non-book, non-novel
non-friend, non-hero
Prefixation
anti-:
1. against, preventing
anti-crime, anti-fat, anti-noise
2. against traditional characteristics
anti-art, anti-music, anti-novelist,
antitheatre
Prefixation
Example:
In my happier nightmare," he adds, "I
see myself attending an anti-play with
an anti-audience after a
dinner prepared by an anti-cook."
Prefixation
mini-: very small

mini-crisis
mini-war
mini-election
mini-boom
mini-lecture
mini-bikini
mini-by-pass
minibus
Suffixation
Definition:
suffix + base = new word
Process of making new words by
adding suffixes to basis
Characteristics of suffix:
Changing part of speech
Classification according to part of
speech
Suffixation
1. Noun suffixes
1) De-nominal nouns = changing

nouns into new nouns
-eer, -ster, -er, -ess, -ette, -let,
profiteer, gangster, trickster
teenager, hostess,
cigarette, booklet,
concrete nouns
Suffixation
-age, -dom, -ery (-ry), -ful, -hood, -ing,

-ism, -ship
wastage, officialdom, slavery,
mouthful, adulthood, farming,
terrorism, sportsmanship
He is working. working people
farming
abstract nouns
Suffixation
2) Deverbal nouns = changing verbs into

N
Concrete: -ant, -ee, -ent, -er(-or)
informant, trainee, respondent
Abstract: -age, -al, -ance, -ation (-ition,
-tion, -sion, -ion), -ence, -ing, -ment
marriage, dismissal, attendance,
protection, decision, existence, tubing,
judgement
Suffixation
3) De-adjective nouns: -ity, -ness

- ive:
produc`tivity,
sensitivity
-ar: popu`larity, familiarity
- al: mo`rality, generality
- able/-ible:
ability, responsi`bility
Suffixation
4) Noun and adjective suffixes =

making
new nouns and adjectives
-ese, -an, -ist,
Chinese; Australian, socialist
Suffixation
2 Adjective suffixes
1) De-nominal suffixes= changing N into adj
-ed, -ful, -ish, -less, -like, -ly, -y
simple-minded, successful, childish,
priceless
-ly: (to) father, mother, brother, sister,
daughter, man, woman
-y: (to) cream, rain, sun, wind, winter,
sand, hill, hair, water
Suffixation
-al (-ial, -ical): cultural, philosophical

-ic
-ous (-eous, -ious): famous,
courageous
-esque: picturesque
Suffixation
-ic
-ical
classic classical
comic comical
historic
historical
economic economical
electric electrical
Suffixation
2) De-verbal suffixes (added to verbs):

-ive (-ative, -sive)
active, decisive
-able (-ible, -uble)
Suffixation
-uble
-able
-ible
solve,
resolve
educate, operate,
penetrate, violate,
cultivate, calculate,
communicate,
navigate
sense, corrupt,
irresist, divide,
defend
soluble,
resoluble
educable, operable,
penetrable, violable,
cultivable,
calculable,
communicable,
navigable
sensible,
corruptible,
credible,
irresistible,
divisible,
defensible
Suffixation
3. Adverb suffixes
-ly, -ward(s), -wise
- ward(s): (to)
in, out, up, down, back, fore, side,
sky,
earth, east, west, north, south
- wise: (to) (as far as is concerned)
budget, time, money, security,
economy, life, weather
Suffixation
4. Verb suffixes
-ate, -en, -(i)fy, -ize(-ise)
originate, darken, strengthen,
solidify,
beautify, modernize,
symbolize
Suffixation
Vogue suffixes: 3
-nik = a person who becomes a
member
of; devoted to
folknik, peacenik, jazznik,
protestnik,
city-nik, good-willnik
Suffixation
-ese = style of; the

Afro-Americanese
Americanese
cablese
childrenese
computerese
educationese
golfese
characteristics of
Suffixation
guide-bookese
headlinese
jargonese
journalese
newspaperese
New Yorkese
novelese
Suffixation
officialese
sociologese
telegraphese
Washingtonese
officialese
sociologese
telegraphese
Suffixation
Washingtonese
Carlylese
Johnsonese
Macaulayese
Meredithese
Nabokovese
Ruskinese
Suffixation
-ee: (to) transitive verbs to make a noun

which is the receiver of the action
appointee, employee
BUT
flirtee, kickee, kissee, laughee, huggee,
meetee, shavee, toastee, consultee,
visitee, slanderee, rushee, curee
absentee

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Word-building

Zeiger: Encyclopedia of English 1979)

4. Prefixes of degree or size: 15

4. Prefixes of degree or size: 15

macro-, micro-: macrocosm, microcosm

5. Prefixes of orientation and

7. Prefixes of time and order: 4

Highly productive prefixes: 4

non-: (to nouns, adjectives, adverbs)

mini-: very small

1) De-nominal nouns = changing

-age, -dom, -ery (-ry), -ful, -hood, -ing,

2) Deverbal nouns = changing verbs into

3) De-adjective nouns: -ity, -ness

4) Noun and adjective suffixes =

-al (-ial, -ical): cultural, philosophical

2) De-verbal suffixes (added to verbs):

-ese = style of; the

-ee: (to) transitive verbs to make a noun

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