Structure of english-_affixes1
- 2. Affixes
- 3. AffixesA letter or group of letters added to the beginning or end of a word to change its meaning. To expand such words, appendages (affixes) are added at either the beginning or at the end of the word.
- 4. Affixes Most English words are made up of the base word known as root which contains the heart of the meaning of the word. The root is central to the building of new words.
- 5. Prefix Root word Suffix New word Dis- advantag e ous disadvantageous Un- help ful unhelpful Un- forgive able unforgivable Im- measure able immeasurable
- 8. Common prefixes and their meanings Prefix Meaning Example Ab- away from absent, abnormal Ad- to, toward advance, addition After- later, behind aftermath, afterward Anti- against, opposed antibiotic, antigravity Auto- self automobile, autobiography
- 9. Common prefixes and their meanings Prefix Meaning Example Be- make believe, belittle Bi- two bicycle, biceps Com, con, co- with, together commune, concrete Contra- against contradict, contrary De- downward, undo deflate, defect
- 10. Common prefixes and their meanings Prefix Meaning Example Deci- ten decibels, decimal Dis- not dislike, distrust E, ex- out of, prior to explain, expense En, em- in, into, cover engage, employ Extra- outside extravagant, extraterrestrial
- 11. Common prefixes and their meanings Prefix Meaning Example Im- not impose, imply In- into, not include, incurable Inter- among interact, internal Macro- large macroeconomics, macrobiotic Magni- great magnify, magnificent
- 12. Common prefixes and their meanings Prefix Meaning Example Mega- huge megaphone, megabucks Micro- small microscope, microbe Mis- wrongly mistake, mislead Non- not nonsense, nonviolent Over- above, beyond overflow, overdue
- 13. meanings Prefix Meaning Example Post- after postdate, postmark Pre- before, prior to preheat, prehistoric Pro- in favor of protest, protect Re- again repeat, revise Sub- under, beneath submarine, subject Super- above, beyond superior, supernatural
- 14. meanings Prefix Meaning Example Tele- far telescope, telephone Trans- across transfer, transit Tri- three tricycle, triangle Un- not unknown, unjust Ultra- beyond ultraviolet, ultra suede Under- beneath, below underneath, underline Uni- one, single unicorn, uniform
- 15. Im- Is placed before bilabial sounds /p, b, m/ as in: balance imbalance patient impatient moral immoral modest immodest practical impractical perfect imperfect
- 16. In- Is used before alveolar and velar sounds /d, k, s/ and the labio-dental fricative /v/ visible invisible direct indirect dependent independent consistent inconsistent definite indefinite credible incredible curable incurable
- 17. Ir- Is used before r regular irregular resistible irresistible resolute irresolute relevant irrelevant responsible irresponsible reparable irreparable
- 18. Il- Is used before i logical illogical legal illegal legitimate illegitimate literate illiterate
- 19. Un- necessary unnecessary fair unfair fortunate unfortunate interesting uninteresting happy unhappy just unjust tidy untidy
- 20. De- compose decompose increase decrease formation deformation hydration dehydration merit demerit
- 21. Dis- band disband courage discourage honor dishonor illusion disillusion please displease
- 22. Non- commissioned non-commissioned returnable non-returnable static non-static stick non-stick ferrous non-ferrous
- 23. SUFFIXES
- 24. Suffixes A letter or a group of letters that is added to the end of a word to change its meaning or to form a different word. Are groups of letters added after a base word or root.
- 25. Common suffixes and their meanings Suffix Meaning Example -able capable of being; that can or must be taxable, changeable, comfortable -age state, act, or process of, result of postage, bandage -al belonging to magical, verbal, betrayal -ance act of, state of dominance, ignorance
- 26. Common suffixes and their meanings Suffix Meaning Example -ary place for; connected with budgetary, planetary -cy state of being democracy, conspiracy -er one who is; a person or thing that teacher, singer, lover -ful having the qualities of; full of sorrowful, forgetful, handful
- 27. Common suffixes and their meanings Suffix Meaning Example -ist one whose profession is dentist, chemist, specialist -less lacking, without sleeveless, selfless, tireless -ly in the manner of happily, stupidly -ment the action or result of development, bombarment
- 28. Common suffixes and their meanings Suffix Meaning Example -ness state of; the quality of blindness, goodness, dryness -ous the nature of or having quality of poisonous, glorious -tion act of education, cooperation -dom the condition or state of freedom, kingdom
- 29. Inflectional suffix/morpheme A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit of a word. They change the meaning of the root word. Inflection is a major category of morphology. When suffixes are added to words to realize morphemes such as present, past, present participle, plural, they are said to be inflectional.
- 30. Inflectional suffix/morpheme Examples: play plays playing played locate locates locating located sing sings singing sang
- 31. Derivational Suffixes Derivation is the opposite of inflection. It consists of adding an affix or affixes to the root or stem of the word. New words are derived. Example: adjective noun adverb gentle gentleness gently
- 32. Class-Maintaining Derivational Suffixes Examples of class-maintaining derivational suffixes are –age, -ful, - ry, -cy, -hood, -ship, -ate, -ure, -ic, - ster, -dom, -ism, -ee, -eer. They are used to convert noun to another noun that mean something different.
- 33. Class-Maintaining Derivational Suffixes Examples are: -age -cy front frontage lunatic lunacy use usage tenant tenancy -ful -hood spoon spoonful child childhood mouth mouthful man manhood -ry -ship citizen citizenry friend friendship machine machinery owner ownership
- 34. Class-Maintaining Derivational Suffixes -ure -ster Impostor imposture young youngster portrait portraiture trick trickster -ate -dom emir emirate king kingdom triumvirs triumvirate duke dukedom -ee -ism grant grantee critic criticism devotion devotee journal journalism
- 35. Class-Changing Derivational Suffixes Under the suffixes that can change word from one grammatical class to another, we have basically four groups. They are: Noun Suffixes Verb Suffixes Adjective Suffixes Adverb Suffixes
- 36. Noun Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example -dom state of being freedom -hood state of being manhood -ness state of being dimness -ice act of being cowardice -ation act of being flirtation -ion act of being intercession -sion act of scansion -tion state of being corruption
- 37. Noun Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example -ment act of argument -ship state of being friendship -ance act of continuance -ence act of precedence -ancy state of being currency
- 38. -ism act of baptism -ery quality of bravery -eer one who auctioneer -ist one who fascist believes in -or one who debtor -er one who worker
- 39. Verb Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example -ate to make perpetuate -en to make soften -fy to make dignify -ize, -ise to make sterilize
- 40. Adjective Suffix Suffix Meaning Example -ful full of hateful -ish resembling foolish -ate to make affectionate -ic, -ical resembling angelic -ive having prospective -ous full of zealous
- 41. Adjective Suffix Suffix Meaning Example -ulent full of fraudulent -less without fatherless -able, -ible capable of peaceable -ed having spirited -ly resembling womanly -like resembling childlike
- 42. Adverb Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example -ly to make more quickly -ward in the afterward direction of
- 43. Derivation Of Words From One Grammatical Class To Another 1. Conversion of Verb to Noun -to derive nouns from verbs, the noun forming suffixes are added to the verb and new are formed.
- 44. i. –ment detach detachment resent resentment ii. –ion/-tion collect collection adapt adaptation
- 45. Verbs that end in –ate drop e and replace with – ion illustrate illustration enumerate enumeration iii. –ation The suffix –ation is added to some verbs ending in –ise. The final e is dropped before the addition of -ation. improvise improvisation derive derivation
- 46. Still on –ation, if the verb ends in ke, ke is replaced by c before the suffix. revoke revocation provoke provocation Verbs that end in –ain or –aim will drop the i to take –ation declaim declamation explain explanation
- 47. With different suffixes entertain entertainment maintain maintenance sustain sustenance iv. –ication Some verbs ending in –ify drop the y and replace it with –ication beatify beatification solidify solidification
- 48. Exceptions: liquefy liquefaction (not liquidification) putrefy putrefaction (not *putrify) crucify crucifixion v. –ition is attached to verbs ending in –ish. The sh is dropped and replaceed by –ition.
- 49. demolish demolition abolish abolition Other –ish ending words take different suffixes. banish banishment furnish furniture/furnishing embellish embelishment -ition can also be attached to verbs ending in –it. exhibit exhibition inhibit inhibition prohibit prohibition
- 50. vi. –ution Verbs ending in –olve have the ve replaced by –ution. revolve revolution evolve evolution vii. –sion is applied to some words ending in –ise with the e dropped. revise revision supervise supervision
- 51. Some words ending in –de drop this ending to take –sion to form a noun. collide collision decide decision -sion is also added to verbs ending in it. The t is dropped and replaced by –sion to form noun. avert aversion divert diversion
- 52. viii. Double s suffix –ssion This occurs with verbs ending in –ee or –ede. accede accession proceed procession -ssion is also attracted by some verbs ending in –it. emit emission transmit transmission
- 53. ix. –ant, -ent celebrate celebrant adhere adherent x. –ance, -ence Verbs with final e drop the e to add –ance. Other verbs without final e also take –ance.
- 54. -ance nouns -ance nouns Verbs with final e Verbs without final e tolerate tolerance react reactance ignore ignorance clear clearance -ence nouns -ence nouns Verbs with final e Verbs without final e confide confidence abhorabhorrence adhere adherence absent absence
- 55. xi. –ism, -ysis These suffixes are usually applied to adjectives and nouns. criticise criticism plagiaries plagiarism
- 56. The suffix –ysis is usually found in scientific vocabulary: analyse analysis electrolyse electrolysis xii. –al acquit acquittal betray betrayal arouse arousal rehearse rehearsal
- 57. xiii. –age is generally attached to nouns but in some cases, it is attached to verbs to form nouns: cleave cleavage use usage waste wastage post postage *Note that the e ending in the verb is dropped.
- 58. xiv. –ry, -ery A few verbs are converted to nouns by the suffix –ry. The two suffixes are usually attached to nouns. bake bakery brew brewery water watery
- 59. xv. –ure The suffix –ure converts a few verbs to nouns. Verbs that end in consonants will just take –ure, but those that end in e drop the e before –ure. fail failure proceed procedure erase erasure post posture
- 60. xvi. –acy Some verbs are converted to nouns by the use of –acy. conspire conspiracy advocate advocacy
- 61. xvii. Action Suffixes These are suffixes which describe the actions or occupations of people or the uses of things. They include –er, -or, -ant and – ist (or –yst). We also have –ar which is a rare usage.
- 62. -er -or betray betrayer act actor teach teacher vend vendor -ant -ar depend dependant beg beggar aspire aspirant lie liar
- 63. -ist -yst apologise apologist catalyse catalyst dramatise dramatist xviii. –ing, -ee, -and The last batch of verb to noun suffixes are –ing, -ee, -and.
- 64. -ing The present participle of a verb is sometimes used as a noun ending in – ing. His singing and dancing was well appreciated.
- 65. -ee employ employee vend vendee -and This is of limited application. Somebody about to be ordained a priest is an ordinand.
- 66. 2. Conversion of Verbs to Adjectives The following suffixes are added to verbs to form adjectives: -able, -ible, -ous, -ive, -ory, -ant, -ent, - some, -f.
- 67. i. -able Some verbs ending in consonants take able without any alteration but if the basic verb end in –ate, this end is dropped and replaced with able. accept acceptable comfort comfortable appreciate appreciable
- 68. If the basic verb ends in ce the e is retained but if it ends in y after a consonant, the y is replaced by i. enforce enforceable pity pitiable The rule however is not robber-stamped s apply is applicable not *’appliable’.
- 69. If the basic verb ends in e after a consonant or after s, the e is usually dropped. admire admirable prove provable The adjective for despise is however despicable.
- 70. Finally, if the basic verb ends in y after a vowel, the y is retained. convey conveyable pay payable play playable
- 71. ii. –ible The number of verbs taking –ible as suffix is limited. It is often more attracted to nouns. When added to verbs that end in e, the e is dropped, but when the verbs ends in t or d, the last letter is dropped replaced with-sible or –ssible.
- 72. collapse collapsible reverse reversible defend defensible omit omissible permit permissible Some exceptions include: controvert controvertible resist resistible *no alteration
- 73. iii. –ous The suffix –ous can be added to a few verbs to form adjective. disaster disastrous pretend pretentious ponder ponderous
- 74. iv. –ory This suffix can be added to only few verbs to form adjectives. declaim declamatory exclaim exclamatory explain explanatory *note that the i in ai in these words is dropped.
- 75. v. –ive The suffix –ive can be attached to many verbs to derive adjective. Words that end in e drop the e before the suffix but those that end in consonants will simply take the suffix. decorate decorative indicate indicative construct constructive instruct instructive
- 76. In some words d is replaced by s and some others take the suffix –ative. conclude conclusive decide decisive represent representative affirm affirmative
- 77. Other examples are: apprehend apprehensive comprehend comprehensive *d is dropped and –sive added permit permissive admit admissive submit submissive *t is dropped and -ssive is added
- 78. vi. –al The adjectives formed with –al derived from verbs are: criticize critical equivocate equivocal -This suffix is commonly used in the conversion of nouns to adjectives.
- 79. vii. –ant, -ent As in the formation of nouns from verbs, these suffixes can also be used to form adjectives. please pleasant repent repentant decay decadent defy defiant
- 80. viii. –some, -ful Some adjectives ending in some derived from verbs are: cumber cumbersome tire tiresome The suffix –ful is attached to few verbs. It is more attached to many nouns to form adjectives. mourn mournful revenge revengeful
- 81. 3. Conversion of Adjectives to Nouns Adjectives are converted to nouns by use of the following suffixes: -ness, -ity, -ion, - acy, -ery, -ry, -ment, -ism, -ance, -ancy, -ence, -ency, -escence. i. -ness happy happiness busy business saintly saintliness
- 82. ii. –ity The suffix –ity is added to some words without any alteration. In some cases, the e that ends the base adjective is dropped. fluid fluidity humid humidity senior seniority infinite infinity diverse diversity plural plurality
- 83. iii. –ion A few adjectives attract the suffix – ion to form nouns. abject abjection discreet discretion iv. –acy, -ery, -ry, -ment Only few adjectives attract these suffixes to form nouns. They are:
- 84. accurate accuracy brave bravery merry merriment delicate delicacy green greenery better betterment
- 85. v. –ism is mostly used for converting nouns to nouns. Monetary Monetarism American Americanism Mystic Mysticism
- 86. vi. –ance, -ancy, -ence, -ency These four suffixes are common in converting adjectives to nouns. -ant to –ance abundant abundance attendant attendance elegant elegance
- 87. -ant to –ancy constant constancy hesitant hesitancy infant infancy -ent to –ence prominent prominence subsistent subsistence reticent reticence
- 88. -ent to –ency absorbent absorbency clement clemency consistent consistency
- 89. vii. –escence Adjectives ending in escent form nouns ending in escence. Convalescent convalescence Fluorescent fluorescence viii. –iety anxious anxiety various variety
- 90. 4. Conversion of Nouns to Adjectives The suffixes for converting nouns to adjectives are: -y, -ly, - ish, -ous, -ic, -ical, -ary, -ar, -ful, -less, -al, -ial, -eal, -ate, -ine, - ian, -ean, -ese, -en, -esque, -able, -ible, -ose, -iac.
- 91. i. –y, -ly i. haze hazy lace lacy day daily friend friendly week weekly ii. –ish book bookish boy boyish
- 92. iii. –ous Apart from using –ous to convert verbs to adjectives and adjectives to nouns, it can also be used to convert nouns to adjectives. poison poisonous space spacious glamour glamorous number numerous mischief mischievous
- 93. iv. –ic, -ics, -ical athlete athletic tone tonic drama dramatic When applied to special studies the suffix –ic is pluralized. Adjectives formed from such nouns drop the s and extend suffix to –ical. Ethics ethical Economics economical Politics political
- 94. v. –ary, -ar -ary budget budgetary diet dietary element elementary -ar molecule molecular nucleus nuclear line linear
- 95. vi. –ful care careful doubt doubtful joy joyful wonder wonderful -less art artless care careless fear fearless
- 96. 5. Conversion of Nouns to Verbs Some nouns can be converted to verbs by the addition of the following suffixes: -en (or –n), -ify (or fy), -ise (or ize), and –ate i. –en (or –n) length lengthen strength strengthen height heighten
- 97. -ify (or –fy) beauty beautify example examplify stupor stupefy ii. –ise carbon carbonize idol idolize -ate carbon carbonate action activate
- 98. 6. Conversion of Adjectives to Verbs A common suffix for this purpose is –en or the prefix en- as in: black blacken bright brighten deep deepen large enlarge rich enrich dear endear
- 100. CIRCUMFIXES Are affixes that “surround” the word, attaching to the beginning and end of the word. Circumfixes are common in Malay and Georgian.
- 101. Examples: en en in enlighten em en in embolden un ness in unconsciousness un ably in unbelievably un able in unbelievable un ly in unlikely re s in rewrites