H. Suffixal Homophones: Inflectional Morpheme (-ER CP)
H. Suffixal Homophones: Inflectional Morpheme (-ER CP)
Suffixal Homophones
Some suffixes, both inflectional and derivational, have homophonous forms
(identical in pronunciation).
Homophone: a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same
or not.
How to distinguish the verbal {-ING vb} from the {-ING adj}?
1. The verbal {-ING} can occur after as well as before the noun it modifies.
I saw a burning house.
I saw a house bringing.
2. The adjectival {-ING aj} can preceded by a qualifier such as very, rather, quite,
the comparative and superlative more, most, and seems
It is a very comforting thought. That snake seems interesting.
This is a more exciting movie. * That snake seems crawling.
* I saw a rather burning house.
Verb
inflec*onal
{-‐D
pp}
It can be modified by qualifiers such as very, rather, quite, the comparative and
superlative more, most, and by seems.
A rather faded tapestry hung over the fire place.
*The very departed guests had forgotten their dog.
The tapestry seems faded.
*The guests seem departed.
Adverbial derivational suffix {-LY av}
It is added to most adjectives to form adverbs of manner.
rich, richly; kind, kindly; formal, formally; happy, happily
2. It is added to nouns to form adjectives that are not inflected with -er, -est.
king, kingly; beast, beastly; scholar, scholarly; mother, motherly; leisure, leisurely
3. It is added to a few adjectives, giving alternate adjectival forms that are inflected
with -er, -est.
dead, deadly; live, lively; kind, kindly; sick, sickly
She spoke kindly to the children.
She was a kindly woman; in fact, she was the kindliest woman in the village.
4. It is added to a short list of “time” nouns to form adjectives that are not inflected
with -er, -est.
day, daily; hour, hourly; month, monthly