Suffixation. Classification of Suffixes

Affixation as a means of word formation.

Word-formation is a set of mechanisms used for the creation of new words after certain structural and semantic patterns. A distinction is made between two principal types of word-formation: word-derivation and word-composition.

One of the basic ways of forming words in word-derivation is affixation (the 2nd is conversion). Affixation is the formation of new words by adding derivational affixes to different types of bases (care less – from care, to over come – from come). Affixation includes suffixation and prefixation. Distinction between suffixal and prefixal derivatives is made according to the last stage of derivation. (e.g., from the point of view of derivational analysis the word unbearable – un + (bear- + -able) is qualified as a prefixal derivative, while the word discouragement – (dis- + -courage) + -ment is defined as a suffixal derivative. But from the point of view of morphemic analysis these words are specified as pfefixal-suffixal derivatives.

Suffixation. Classification of Suffixes

Suffixation is the formation of words with the help of suffixes. Suffixes usually modify the lexical meaning of the base and can transfer words to a different part of speech.

Suffixes can be classified into different types in accordance with different principles.

1. According to the lexico-grammatical character of the base suffixes are usually added to, they may be:

a. deverbal suffixes (those added to the verbal base), e.g. –er (writer); -ing (swimming); -ment (arrangement); -able (preferable);

b. denominal suffixes (those added to the nominal base), e.g. –less (homeless); -ful (hopeful); -ist (dramatist); -some (troublesome);

c. deadjectival suffixes (those added to the adjectival base): -en (soften); -ly (happily); -ish (childish); -ness (sadness).

2. According to the part of speech formed suffixes fall into several groups:

a. noun-forming suffixes: -age (breakage, bondage); -ance/-ence (assistance, reference); -dom (freedom); -er (teacher); -ess (princess); -ing (building); -hood (childhood); -ness (tenderness); -ship (relationship).

b. adjective-forming suffixes: -able/-ible/-uble (unbearable, audible, soluble); -al (formal); -ic (poetic); -ant/-ent (repentant, dependent); -ed (wooded); -ful (delightful); -ish (bookish); -ive (active); -ous (curious).

c. numeral-forming suffixes: -fold (twofold); -teen (fifteen); -th (fifth); -ty (sixty);

d. verb-forming suffixes: -ate (appreciate); -er (glimmer); -fy/-ify (specify); -ize (equalize); -ish (establish).

e. adverb-forming suffixes: -ly (lovely); -ward/-wards (upward); -wise (likewise).

3. Semantically suffixes fall into:

a. monosemantic, e.g. the suffix –ess has only one meaning ‘female’ – tigress, tailoress;

b. polysemantic, e.g. the suffix –hood has two meanings: 1) ‘condition or quality’ – falsehood, womanhood; 2) ‘collection or group’ – brotherhood.

4. According to their generalizing denotational meaning suffixes may fall into several groups. For instance, noun- suffixes fall into those denoting:

a. the agent of the action: -er; -ant (assistant);

b. appurtenance: -an/-ian (Victorian, Russian); -ese (Chinese);

c. collectivity: -dom (kingdom); -ry (peasantry);

d. diminutiveness: -ie (birdie); -let (cloudlet); -ling (wolfling).

5. According to their stylistic reference suffixes may be classified into:

a. those characterized by neutral stylistic value: -able (agreeable); -er (writer); -ing.

b. those having a certain stylistic value: -oid (asteroid); -tron (cyclotron). They occur usually in terms and are bookish.

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