What is the fundamental definition of a suffix in linguistics?

In linguistics, a suffix is an affix that is positioned after the stem of a word. Affixes are linguistic elements added to a word to modify its meaning or function.

What two main types of information can suffixes carry?

Suffixes can carry two primary types of information: grammatical information, known as inflectional endings, and lexical information, referred to as derivational or lexical suffixes.

How does inflectional information differ from derivational information in suffixes?

Inflectional suffixes change the grammatical properties of a word while keeping it within its existing syntactic category, such as changing a verb's tense. Derivational suffixes, conversely, can either change the word's syntactic category (e.g., verb to noun) or maintain it, often creating a new word with a related but distinct meaning.

What alternative term is used for suffixes in the study of Semitic languages?

In the study of Semitic languages, suffixes are sometimes called affirmatives because they have the ability to alter the form of the words they are attached to.

Is there a specific distinction made between suffixes and endings in Indo-European studies?

Yes, in Indo-European studies, a distinction is made between suffixes and endings, particularly when analyzing the structure of Proto-Indo-European roots.

What is a suffixoid or semi-suffix, and can you provide examples?

A suffixoid, also known as a semi-suffix, is a word-final segment that occupies an intermediate position between a free morpheme (a word that can stand alone) and a bound morpheme (a morpheme that must be attached to another word part). Examples include the English '-like' and the German '-freundlich' (meaning 'friendly').

How does the suffix '-s' function in the English word 'Girls'?

In the English word 'Girls,' the suffix '-s' marks plurality, indicating that there is more than one girl.

What grammatical information does the suffix '-s' convey in the English phrase 'He makes'?

In the English phrase 'He makes,' the suffix '-s' marks the third person singular present tense, indicating that the action is performed by a single subject that is neither the speaker nor the listener, and it occurs in the present.

What does the suffix '-ed' signify in the English phrase 'It closed'?

In the English phrase 'It closed,' the suffix '-ed' marks the past tense, indicating that the action of closing occurred in the past.

How is the comparative degree marked in English adjectives, using an example?

The comparative degree in English adjectives is marked by the suffix '-er,' as seen in 'It's brighter,' which indicates a higher degree of brightness compared to something else.

How does French use suffixes to indicate plurality in adjectives?

In French, the suffix '-x' can mark the plural form of an adjective, as exemplified by 'De beaux jours,' where 'beaux' is the plural form of 'beau' (beautiful).

Provide an example of a suffix marking the feminine form of an adjective in French.

The suffix '-e' marks the feminine form of an adjective in French, as illustrated in 'Elle est passablement jolie,' where 'jolie' is the feminine form of 'joli' (pretty).

How are grammatical cases indicated in German using suffixes, particularly for 'Computer'?

In German, grammatical cases are indicated by suffixes. For 'mein Computer' (my computer), the nominative case is 'unmarked' with no suffix. However, for the genitive case, it becomes 'meines Computers' with '-es' and '-s' suffixes; for the dative case, 'meinem Computer' with '-em'; and for the accusative case, 'meinen Computer' with '-en'.

Explain how grammatical cases are marked in Russian using suffixes, based on the example of 'компьютер' (computer).

In Russian, the nominative case for 'мой компьютер' (my computer) is unmarked by suffixes. For the genitive case, it becomes 'моего компьютера' with '-его' and '-а' suffixes. For the dative case, it is 'моему компьютеру' with '-ему' and '-у' suffixes. The accusative case for 'мой компьютер' is also unmarked in this specific instance.

Describe the use of suffixes and endings in the Russian phrase 'за-туш-и-ть свечу' (to extinguish a candle).

In the Russian phrase 'за-туш-и-ть свечу,' the first word, 'за-туш-и-ть,' contains an '-и-' suffix and a '-ть' ending, which together form the infinitive verb form. The second word, 'свечу,' has an '-у' ending, indicating the accusative case, singular, and feminine gender.

What is a 'postfix' in Russian morphology, and how is it demonstrated in the word 'выдающийся'?

In Russian morphology, a postfix is a type of suffix that is placed *after* the adjectival ending. This is demonstrated in the word 'выда-ющ-ий-ся' (outstanding), where '-ся' is a reflexive postfix positioned after the adjectival ending.

How does the Barngarla language use suffixes to express different grammatical numbers for 'emu'?

In the Barngarla language, suffixes are used to express grammatical number. The singular form 'wárraidya' (emu) is unmarked. To indicate 'two emus' (dual), the suffix '-lbili' is added, forming 'wárraidyalbili.' For 'emus' (plural), the suffix '-rri' is used, creating 'wárraidyarri.' For 'a lot of emus' or 'heaps of emus' (superplural), the suffix '-ilyarranha' is appended, resulting in 'wárraidyailyarranha'.

What is another term for an inflectional suffix?

An inflectional suffix is also known as a desinence, which refers to a word ending that indicates grammatical function.

Do inflectional suffixes change the word class of a word?

No, inflectional suffixes do not change the word class, or part of speech, of the word after the inflection. For example, a verb remains a verb even after an inflectional suffix is added.

Provide an example of an inflectional suffix changing a root word's grammatical property without altering its word class.

In the sentence 'I was hoping the cloth wouldn't fade, but it has faded quite a bit,' the suffix '-d' inflects the root word 'fade' to indicate the past participle, but 'fade' remains a verb, demonstrating that its word class has not changed.

List the inflectional suffixes for verbs in Modern English.

In Modern English, inflectional suffixes for verbs include: '-s' for the third person singular simple present indicative active (e.g., 'he walks'), '-ed' for the past tense and past participle (e.g., 'walked'), '-t' for the past tense in weak irregular verbs (e.g., 'kept'), '-ing' for the present participle and gerund (e.g., 'walking'), and '-en' for the past participle in irregular verbs (e.g., 'eaten').

What are the inflectional suffixes used for nouns in Modern English?

Modern English nouns primarily use '-s' to indicate plural number (e.g., 'cats') and, in some irregular cases, '-en' for plural number (e.g., 'oxen').

Which inflectional suffixes are applied to adjectives and adverbs in Modern English?

For adjectives and adverbs in Modern English, '-er' is used to mark the comparative degree (e.g., 'faster'), and '-est' is used to mark the superlative degree (e.g., 'fastest').

Into what two categories are derivational suffixes divided?

Derivational suffixes are divided into two categories: class-changing derivation, where the suffix changes the word's part of speech, and class-maintaining derivation, where the suffix keeps the word in the same part of speech.

Which English derivational suffix commonly changes adjectives into adverbs and some nouns into adjectives?

The English derivational suffix '-ly' usually changes adjectives into adverbs (e.g., 'quickly' from 'quick') and can also change some nouns into adjectives (e.g., 'friendly' from 'friend').

Identify English derivational suffixes that typically convert nouns into adjectives.

English derivational suffixes that commonly convert nouns into adjectives include '-al' / '-ual' (e.g., 'national'), '-ic' / '-ical' (e.g., 'historic,' 'historical'), '-ish' (e.g., 'childish'), '-ful' (e.g., 'beautiful'), '-oid' (e.g., 'humanoid'), '-like' (e.g., 'childlike'), and '-less' (e.g., 'hopeless').

What English derivational suffixes are used to change verbs into adjectives?

The English derivational suffixes '-able' and '-ible' are typically used to change verbs into adjectives (e.g., 'readable' from 'read,' 'audible' from 'audit').

List English derivational suffixes that commonly transform verbs into nouns.

English derivational suffixes that commonly transform verbs into nouns include '-ant' (often referring to a human agent, e.g., 'assistant'), '-tion' / '-ion' / '-ation' (e.g., 'action,' 'creation'), and '-ment' (e.g., 'development').

Which English derivational suffixes typically change adjectives into nouns?

The English derivational suffixes '-ity' (e.g., 'purity') and '-ness' (e.g., 'kindness') typically change adjectives into nouns.

What English derivational suffixes are generally used to convert nouns into verbs?

The English derivational suffixes '-fy' (e.g., 'beautify') and '-ise' / '-ize' (e.g., 'modernise,' 'modernize') are generally used to convert nouns into verbs.

Provide examples of English derivational suffixes that are class-maintaining for nouns.

English derivational suffixes that are usually class-maintaining for nouns include '-ess' (e.g., 'actress'), '-ism' (e.g., 'socialism'), '-ist' (e.g., 'artist'), '-hood' (e.g., 'childhood'), and '-logy' / '-ology' (e.g., 'biology,' 'geology').

What are some other English derivational suffixes mentioned in the source, and what is the origin of '-wise'?

Other English derivational suffixes mentioned include '-um' (found in words like 'museum,' 'stadium,' 'auditorium,' 'aquarium,' 'planetarium,' 'medium'). The suffix '-wise' originates from the Old English word 'wīse,' meaning 'manner, way, condition, direction'.

How can a suffix affect the pronunciation of a multi-syllable word in English?

A suffix can often change the stress or accent pattern of a multi-syllable word in English, which in turn alters the phoneme pattern of the root word, even if the root's basic form remains unchanged. This means the way the word sounds can be significantly modified.

Illustrate how a suffix can shift the primary stress in an English word with an example.

An example of a suffix shifting primary stress is the difference between 'photograph' and 'photography.' The '-y' ending in 'photography' causes the primary stress to move from the first syllable ('pho-') in 'photograph' to the antepenultimate syllable ('-to-').

What happens to the vowel sounds of unaccented syllables when a suffix alters the stress pattern in English?

When a suffix alters the stress pattern in English, the ordinary vowel sound of the unaccented syllables often changes to a schwa, which is a neutral, unstressed vowel sound, like the 'a' in 'about'.

Who might find altered pronunciation due to suffixes particularly challenging?

The altered pronunciation caused by suffixes can be a particular problem for dyslexics, as it can affect their phonemic awareness, and it also presents a significant hurdle for non-native speakers learning English.

Suffix Wiki: Morphological Markers: Decoding the Power of Suffixes

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Defining Suffixes

The Post-Stem Affix

In the realm of linguistics, a suffix is formally defined as an affix strategically positioned after the stem of a word. These crucial morphological units serve to modify the meaning or grammatical function of the base word. Common manifestations include case endings, which delineate the grammatical case of nouns and adjectives, and verb endings, which are fundamental to the conjugation of verbs.^[1]

Inflectional vs. Derivational Roles

Suffixes are broadly categorized by the type of information they convey. They can carry either grammatical information, known as inflectional endings, or lexical information, referred to as derivational or lexical suffixes.^[1] Inflectional suffixes primarily alter a word's grammatical properties while maintaining its syntactic category, whereas derivational suffixes can either change the word's class (e.g., noun to adjective) or maintain it.

Cross-Linguistic Nuances

The terminology for suffixes can vary across linguistic traditions. In the study of Semitic languages, for instance, suffixes are often termed affirmatives due to their capacity to alter word forms. Within Indo-European studies, a more granular distinction is sometimes drawn between general suffixes and specific "endings," particularly when analyzing Proto-Indo-European roots. Furthermore, a word-final segment that occupies an intermediate position between a free morpheme and a bound morpheme is known as a suffixoid or a semi-suffix, exemplified by English -like or German -freundlich ("friendly").^[2]^[3]

Illustrative Examples

English Suffixes

English demonstrates the power of suffixes in marking grammatical distinctions:

Girls — The suffix -s denotes plurality.
He makes — The suffix -s indicates the third person singular present tense.
It closed — The suffix -ed marks the past tense.
It's brighter — The suffix -er forms the comparative degree.

French Suffixes

French utilizes suffixes for gender and number agreement:

De beaux jours — The suffix -x marks the plural form of the adjective.
Elle est passablement jolie — The suffix -e marks the feminine form of the adjective.

German Case Endings

German showcases suffixes for grammatical case, often on determiners and nouns:

mein Computer — The nominative case is "unmarked" (no suffix).
meines Computers — Genitive case.
meinem Computer — Dative case.
meinen Computer — Accusative case.

Russian Morphology

Russian employs a rich system of suffixes for various grammatical functions, including case and verb forms:

мой компьютер — Nominative case, "unmarked."
моего компьютера — Genitive case.
моему компьютеру — Dative case.
мой компьютер — Accusative case.
за-туш-и-ть свеч-у — The first word has the -и- suffix and -ть infinitive ending; the second word has the -у ending for the accusative case, singular, feminine.
добр-о-жел-а-тель-н-ый — This complex word includes the nominal -тель suffix, adjectival -н- suffix, and adjectival -ый ending (nominative, singular, masculine).
выда-ющ-ий-ся — Here, the suffix -ся (reflexive) functions as a postfix, positioned after the adjectival ending.

Barngarla Plurality

The Barngarla language demonstrates suffixes for marking grammatical number beyond singular and plural:

wárraidya "emu" — The singular form is "unmarked" (no suffix).
wárraidyalbili "two emus" — Dual number.
wárraidyarri "emus" — Plural number.
wárraidyailyarranha "a lot of emus", "heaps of emus" — Superplural number.^[4]

Inflectional Suffixes

Grammatical Property Modifiers

Inflection is a morphological process that modifies a word's grammatical properties without altering its fundamental syntactic category. This is frequently achieved through the application of an inflectional suffix, also known as a desinence. For instance, in the sentence: "I was hoping the cloth wouldn't fade, but it has faded quite a bit," the suffix -d inflects the root word fade to denote the past participle.^[5] Crucially, inflectional suffixes never change the word class of the base word.

English Inflectional Forms

Modern English, while less inflected than many other languages, still employs several key inflectional suffixes:

Verbs:

-s: Marks the third person singular simple present indicative active (e.g., he walks).
-ed: Indicates past tense and past participle (e.g., walked).
-t: Used for past tense in certain weak irregular verbs (e.g., slept from sleep).
-ing: Forms the present participle and gerund (e.g., walking).
-en: Marks past participle in irregular verbs (e.g., eaten).

Nouns:

-s: Denotes plural number (e.g., cats).
-en: Marks plural number in irregular nouns (e.g., oxen).

Adjectives and Adverbs:

-er: Forms the comparative degree (e.g., faster).
-est: Forms the superlative degree (e.g., fastest).

Derivational Suffixes

Building New Lexemes

Derivational suffixes are distinct from inflectional ones in their ability to create new words, often by changing the word's syntactic category or by adding significant lexical meaning. These can be broadly divided into two categories: class-changing derivation, where the suffix alters the word class (e.g., verb to noun), and class-maintaining derivation, where the word class remains the same but the meaning is modified.^[6]

Common English Derivational Suffixes

English features a wide array of derivational suffixes, each with specific functions:

-ly: Typically transforms adjectives into adverbs (e.g., quick → quickly), but can also change some nouns into adjectives (e.g., friend → friendly).
-al / -ual: Usually converts nouns into adjectives (e.g., nation → national).
-ic / -ical: Often changes nouns into adjectives (e.g., history → historic, historical).
-ish: Can change nouns into adjectives (e.g., child → childish) or be class-maintaining for adjectives (e.g., red → reddish).
-ful: Generally transforms nouns into adjectives (e.g., beauty → beautiful).
-oid: Typically changes nouns into adjectives (e.g., human → humanoid).
-like: Usually converts nouns into adjectives (e.g., child → childlike).
-less: Generally changes nouns into adjectives, indicating absence (e.g., hope → hopeless).
-able / -ible: Commonly transforms verbs into adjectives, indicating capability (e.g., read → readable).
-ant: Often changes verbs into nouns, frequently referring to an agent (e.g., assist → assistant).
-tion / -ion / -ation: Typically converts verbs into nouns, denoting an action or state (e.g., act → action).
-ment: Usually changes verbs into nouns (e.g., develop → development).
-ity: Often transforms adjectives into nouns, denoting a quality (e.g., active → activity).
-ness: Generally changes adjectives into nouns, denoting a state or quality (e.g., kind → kindness).
-fy: Usually converts nouns into verbs (e.g., beauty → beautify).
-ise / -ize: Typically changes nouns into verbs (e.g., standard → standardize).
-ess: Often class-maintaining, remaining a noun, indicating feminine gender (e.g., prince → princess).
-ism: Usually class-maintaining, remaining a noun, denoting a doctrine or practice (e.g., social → socialism).
-ist: Typically class-maintaining, remaining a noun, denoting a practitioner or adherent (e.g., art → artist).
-hood: Usually class-maintaining, remaining a noun, denoting a state or condition (e.g., child → childhood).
-logy / -ology: Generally class-maintaining, remaining a noun, denoting a field of study (e.g., bio → biology).
-um: Often class-maintaining, remaining a noun, found in words like museum, stadium, auditorium, aquarium, planetarium, medium.
-wise: Derived from Old English wīse ("manner, way, condition, direction"), often forms adverbs (e.g., clockwise).

Phonological Impact

Stress and Accent Shifts

The addition of a suffix can frequently induce significant changes in the stress or accent pattern of a multi-syllable word in English. This phenomenon can alter the phoneme pattern of the root word, even when the root's underlying morphology remains unchanged.^[7] A classic illustration of this is the contrast between "photograph" and "photography." In this instance, the -y suffix dictates the stress pattern, causing the primary stress to shift from the initial syllable ("pho-") to the antepenultimate syllable ("-to-").

Vowel Reduction and Challenges

Accompanying these stress shifts, unaccented syllables often undergo vowel reduction, where their ordinary vowel sound transforms into a schwa (a neutral vowel sound). This phonological alteration can pose particular challenges for individuals with dyslexia, impacting their phonemic awareness, and also presents a notable hurdle for non-native speakers striving for accurate pronunciation.^[8] Understanding these subtle yet impactful phonological changes is crucial for mastering English pronunciation and morphology.

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References

Kremer, Marion. 1997. Person reference and gender in translation: a contrastive investigation of English and German. TÃ¼bingen: Gunter Narr, p. 69, note 11.

Marchand, Hans. 1969. The categories and types of present-day English word-formation: A synchronic-diachronic approach. Munich: Beck, pp. 356 ff.

Jackson and Amvela (2000): Word, Meaning and Vocabulary; An Introduction to Modern English Lexicology. London, Athenaeum Press, p. 83

Jackson and Amvela (2000): Word, Meaning and Vocabulary; An Introduction to Modern English Lexicology. London, Athenaeum Press, p. 88

Nancy K. Lewkowicz, "Pronouncing Longer Words: Don't Begin at the Beginning". Journal of Reading, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Dec., 1985), 226â237.

"Dyslexia Help: Success Starts Here". University of Michigan.

A full list of references for this article are available at the Suffix Wikipedia page

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Morphological Markers: Decoding the Power of Suffixes

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Defining Suffixes 💡

🧩 The Post-Stem Affix

🔄 Inflectional vs. Derivational Roles

🌐 Cross-Linguistic Nuances

Illustrative Examples ✍️

🇬🇧 English Suffixes

🇫🇷 French Suffixes

🇩🇪 German Case Endings

🇷🇺 Russian Morphology

🇦🇺 Barngarla Plurality

Inflectional Suffixes 🔄

⚙️ Grammatical Property Modifiers

🗣️ English Inflectional Forms

Verbs:

Nouns:

Adjectives and Adverbs:

Derivational Suffixes 🛠️

🏗️ Building New Lexemes

📝 Common English Derivational Suffixes

Phonological Impact 🗣️

🔊 Stress and Accent Shifts

👂 Vowel Reduction and Challenges

Teacher's Corner 🧑‍🏫

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References

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📜 Important Notice

Dive in with Flashcard Learning!

Defining Suffixes

The Post-Stem Affix

Inflectional vs. Derivational Roles

Cross-Linguistic Nuances

Illustrative Examples

English Suffixes

French Suffixes

German Case Endings

Russian Morphology

Barngarla Plurality

Inflectional Suffixes

Grammatical Property Modifiers

English Inflectional Forms

Derivational Suffixes

Building New Lexemes

Common English Derivational Suffixes

Phonological Impact

Stress and Accent Shifts

Vowel Reduction and Challenges

Teacher's Corner

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Discover other topics to study!

References

Feedback & Support

Disclaimer

Important Notice