3. Word Formation
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Means of word formation:
30-40%
Affixation:
28-30%
Compounding
Conversation
26%
Clipping
8%
Acronymy
10%
Blending
1-5%
….
3. 1 Affixation
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What is affixation?
the process of making new words by
adding affixes to bases
affixes + bases = new words
affixes = prefix + suffix
Characteristics:
Prefixes change meaning
Suffixes change part of speech
Prefixation
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Definition:
Process of making new words by adding
prefixes to bases
Classification:
Prefixes are classified according to meaning.
Prefixation
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Classes of prefixes = 9
1. Negative prefixes: 5
a-, dis- in-(il-,ir-,im-), non-, un- =
无,非,不,没
amoral ≠ immoral
inability ≠ disability
disinterested (公正无私)≠ uninterested
illogical but disloyal
Prefixation
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2. Reversative prefixes: 3
de-, dis-, un- = reverse the action
disunite
unwrap
decentralize
Prefixation
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3. Pejorative prefixes: 3
mal-, mis-, pseudo- = bad, badly, wrong
maltreatment 虐待
misuse
pseudo-science
Prefixation
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4. Prefixes of degree or size: 15
arch-, hyper-, ultra-, super-, extra- :
macro-, micro-: macrocosm, microcosm
under-, over-: underestimate, overestimate
super-, sub-: superstructure, sub-culture
out-, sur-: outlive, surpass
mini-, micro: mini-cenema, microscope
Prefixation
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5. Prefixes of orientation and
attitude:4
anti-, contra-, counter-, proanti-:
anti-violence
counter-: counter-violence
contra-: contra-flow
pro-: pro-democratic
Prefixation
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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
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7. Prefixes of time and order: 4
ex-, post-, pre-, repre-, post-: pre-war, post-war
ex-: ex-president
re-: reorganize
post-,pre- (class-changing)
Prefixation
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8. Number prefixes: 8
uni-(mono-):
unicycle
bi- :
bicycle
tri- :
tricycle
semi-(hemi-): hemisphere
multi-(poly-) : multi-national
Prefixation
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9. Miscellaneous prefixes: 4
auto-: auto-biography
neo-: neo-classicism
pan-: pan-African
vice-: vice-chairperson
Prefixation
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Highly productive prefixes: 4
de-(class-changing): negate, reverse,
remove
depenalize, defocus, depoliticize, defrost,
defog, deschool (abolish traditional schools),
devalue (lessen the value of), defeather,
depost, deplane, detrain (get off)
Prefixation
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non-: (to nouns, adjectives, adverbs)
not, not important, of little value, not
traditional
non-scientific, non-musician, non-additive,
non-book, non-friend, non-hero,
non-novel, non-topic, non-conversation
Prefixation
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anti-:
1. against, preventing
anti-crime, anti-fat, anti-noise
2. against traditional characteristics
anti-art, anti-music, anti-novelist, antitheatre
Prefixation
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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
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mini-: very small
mini-crisis, mini-war, mini-election, miniboom, mini-lecture, mini-bikini, mini-bypass
Suffixation
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Definition:
Process of making new words by adding
suffixes to basis
Characteristics of suffix:
Changing part of speech
Classification according to part of speech
Suffixation
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1. Noun suffixes
1) De-nominal nouns = changing nouns
into new nouns
-eer, -er, -ess, -ette, -let, -ster
profiteer, teenager, hostess, cigarette,
booklet, gangster, trickster
concrete nouns
Suffixation
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-age, -dom, -ery (-ry), -ful, -hood, -ing,
-ism, -ship
wastage, officialdom, slavery, mouthful,
adulthood, farming, terrorism,
sportsmanship
abstract nouns
Suffixation
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2) Deverbal nouns = changing verbs into N
Concrete: -ant, -ent, -er(-or), -ee(opposite)
informant, trainee, respondent
Abstract: -age, -al, -ance, -ation (-ition,
-tion, -sion, -ion), -ence, -ing, -ment
marriage, dismissal, attendance, protection,
decision, existence, building, judgement
Suffixation
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3) De-adjective nouns: -ity, -ness
-ve: productivity, sensitivity
-r: popularity, familiarity
-al: morality, generality
-able/-ible: ability, responsibility
Suffixation
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4) Noun and adjective suffixes = making
new nouns and adjectives
-ese, -an, -ist,
Chinese; Australian, socialist
Suffixation
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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
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-al (-ial, -ical), -esque, -ic, -ous (-eous, ious),
cultural, picturesque, economic, marvelous
Suffixation
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-ic
classic 经典的
comic 喜剧性的
historic 历史性的
economic 经济上的
electric 电动的
-ical
classical 古典的
comical 滑稽的
historical 历史上的
economical 节俭的
electrical 与电有关
Suffixation
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2) De-verbal suffixes (added to verbs):
-ive (-ative, -sive); -able (-ible)
washable, permissible, active, decisive
comfort-comfortable; value-valuable
educate, operate, penetrate, demonstrate
educable, operable, penetrable, demonstrable
Suffixation
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2) De-verbal suffixes (added to verbs):
navigate → navigable
calculate → calculable
originate → originatable
liguidate → liquidatable
Suffixation
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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)
budget, time, money, security, economy,
life, weather
Suffixation
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4. Verb suffixes
-ate, -en, -(i)fy, -ize(-ise)
originate, darken, strengthen, solidify,
beautify, thingify, humanized,
modernize, symbolize
Suffixation
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Vogue suffixes:
-nik = a person who becomes a member
of; devoted to
folknik, peacenik, jazznik, protestnik,
city-nik, good-willnik
Suffixation
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-ese = style of; the characteristics of
Afro-Americanese
非裔美语
Americanese
美国英语
cablese
电报用语
childrenese
儿童语言
computerese
电脑语言
Suffixation
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headlinese
jargonese
journalese
newspaperese
novelese
标题风格
行业用语
新闻体
报刊文体
小说体
Suffixation
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officialese
telegraphese
Washingtonese
官方文体
电报文体
华盛顿特色
Suffixation
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-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
END