Affixation in English

Affixation – is the formation of new words by adding derivative affixes to derivational bases.

Classification of affixes: 1. According to the number of words they create, all affixes may be classified into productive (un-, re-, -er) and non-productive (...., - hood); 2. From the point of view of their current participation in word-formation process, the derivational affixes are divided into active and non-active, or dead affixes (for- in forgive, forbid, forget); 3. From the point of view of their origin: native (-dom, -hood, over-) and borrowed (-able, -ist); 4. Synchronically all the affixes are divided into verbal, adj., adv., (womanly – quickly)

Affixation is subdivided into suffixation and prefixation. Prefixation is the formation of words with the help of prefixes. Prefixes may be classified on different principles. Diachronically distinction is made between prefixes of native and foreign origin.¹ Synchronically prefixes may be classified:

1) according to the class of words they preferably form. The majority of prefixes tend to function either in nominal parts of speech or in verbs

2) as to the type of lexical-grammatical character of the base they are added to.

3) semantically prefixes fall into mono- and polysemantic.

4) as to the generic denotational meaning: negative (un-, non-, in-, dis-); reversative (un-, de-, dis-); perjorative (mis-, mal-, pseudo-); prefixes of time and order (fore-, pre-, post-, ex-); prefix of repetition (re-); locative prefixes (super-, sub-, inter-, trans-).

5) neutral stylistic reference (un-, out-, re-, under-) and those possessing quite a definite stylistic value, they have literary-bookish character (pseudo-, super-, ultra-).

6) prefixes may be also classified as to the degree of productivity into highly-productive, productive and non-productive.

Suffixation – is the formation of words with the help of suffixes. There are indentified from 60 to 130 suffixes. There are different classifications of suffixes:

1) The first principle of classification that, one might say, suggests itself is the part of speech formed:

Noun-suffixes (-er, -dom, -ness, -ation)

Adjective-suffixes (-able, -less, -ful, -ic, -ous)

Verb-suffixes (-en, -fy, -ise)

Adverb-suffixes (-ly, -ward)

2) Suffixes may also be classified into various groups according to the lexico-grammatical character of the base the affix is usually added to:

a) deverbal suffixes (those added to the verbal base), e.g. -er, -ing, -ment, -able, etc. (speaker, reading);

b) denominal suffixes (those added to the noun base), e.g. -less, -ish, -ful, -ist, -some, etc. (handless, childish);

c) de-adjectival suffixes (those affixed to the adjective base), e.g. -en, -ly, -ish, -ness, etc. (blacken, slowly).

3) A classification of suffixes may also be based on the criterion of sense expressed by a set of suffixes:

a) the agent of an action, e.g. -er, -ant (baker, dancer);

b) appurtenance, e.g. -an, -ian, - ese, etc. (Russian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.);

c) collectivity, e.g. -age, -dom, -ery (-ry), etc. (freightage, officialdom);

d) diminutiveness, e.g. -ie, -let, -ling, etc. (birdie, girlie, cloudlet).

4) From the angle of stylistic reference:

a) those characterised by neutral stylistic reference such as -able, -er, -ing, etc.;

b) those having a certain stylistic value such as -oid, -i/form, -aceous, -tron, etc.

5) Suffixes are also classified as to the degree of their productivity.

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