ENGLISH AFFIXATION AND ITS IMPLICATION IN TEACHING VOCABULARY

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
POST- GRADUATE DEPARTMENT

ENGLISH AFFIXATION AND ITS IMPLICATION
IN TEACHING VOCABULARY
SEMANTICS
( Final Assignment )

Student: Nguyễn Thị Thanh
Group: K18C
Supervisor: Dr. Hà Cẩm Tâm

HÀ NỘI –2010


Table of contents

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Development
2.1 Affixation definitions
2.2 A classification of English affixation
2.2.1 Suffixes
2.2.2 Prefixes
Chapter 3: Implications for teaching and learning vocabulary
Chapter 4: Conclusion
Chapter 5: References


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale
As English becomes the world dominant language in every aspect of social life
and Vietnam is certainly not an exception. However, the problems raised by the
complexity and diversity of the language vocabulary have driven all learners
confused and discouraged. Semantics researcher have carried out uncountable
number of studies on this matter and obtained considerable results which are
proved to be useful and practical for the learning and teaching process.
On the other hand, mastering the English vocabulary is not merely remembering
the word usage and meaning but also involves controlling its affixation which
creates new vocabulary. The solution to this will therefore benefit language
learning and teaching in many fields.
2. Aims of the study
In the first place, the study mainly focuses on the definition and classification of
the English affixation according to Ingo Plag (2002). This is followed by some
further implications for teaching and learning English as a foreign language.
3. Methods of the study
The study is conducted based mainly on the collection and selection of academic
research and literature in the same topic. Some reliable websites on the Internet
have been great helpful. Furthermore, information from the Semantics MA course
also contributes to this study
4. Design of the study
There are 5 main chapters in the research. Chapter 1 reveals the reason leading to
the study, chapter 2 develops definition and classification of the English affixation
according to Ingo Plag (2002), chapter 3 shows some implications for teaching
and learning language. Chapter 4 summarizes what has been covered in the study
and the last chapter provides the sources of information used.


CHAPTER 2: DEVELOPMENT
2.1 Affixation definition

According to Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (second edition), affix is
a letter or group of letters which are added to the beginning or end of a word to
make a new word. Therefore, “un” and “dis” can be categorized as affixation.
Moreover, Matthews (1991) also cited that affixation is the morphological process
whereby an affix is attached to a root or stem.
However, Ingo Plag (2002) defined affix as a bound morpheme that attaches to the
base. He also pointed out that the problem of what is supposed to be the free and
bound morpheme and when something is treated as the root or the morpheme. In
such cases, he concluded, only a careful analysis of its linguistic properties can
reveal whether the element in question is really the same in both cases.
2.2 A classification of English affixation
It is obvious to admit that there are enormous ways of classifying affixation. That
can be divided into derivational, like –ness and pre, or inflectional, like plural –s
and past tense – ed.
However, for fear of complicated classification confusing low level learners, that
way of classification will not be discussed here. This study deals with the view of
Ingo Plag because of its simplicity and authenticity, which would be regarded as
learner-centered teaching methodology.
In his book “Word formation in English”, Ingo Plag divided affixation into three
sub-groups: suffixes, prefixes, and infixes. However, this study only focus on the
first two categories due to their domination and popularity in teaching and learning
the English language.


2.2.1 Suffixes
2.2.1.1 Nominal suffixes
Nominal suffixes are often employed to derive abstract nouns from verbs,
adjectives and nouns. Such abstract nouns can denote actions, results of actions, or
other related concepts , but also properties, qualities and so on. Another large
group of nominal suffixes derives person nouns of various sorts. Very often these

meaning are extended to other.
The following table is a short summary of nominal suffixes
Number

Nominal suffixes

Meaning

Example

1

- age

Activity, or its result, nouns Coverage
denoting a collective entity or Leakage
quantity, location

Acreage
Voltage
Orphanage

2

- al

Form abstract nouns denoting Arrival
an action or the result of an Recital
action

3

-ance

(-ence, Action nouns

-ancy, - ency

Renewal
Absorbance
Furtherance
Expectance
Dependence
Dependency

4

- ant

Nouns referring to person or Applicant


to

substances

biological,

involved
chemical

physical process

in Defendant
or Attractant
Dispersant
Suppressant

5

- cy / - ce

States, properties, qualities or Convergence
facts or can refer to an office Emergence
or institution

Adequacy
Intimacy

6

- dom

“the

state

of

presidency

being Apedom

something”, refer to collective Slumdom
entities, domains, realms or Clerkdom
territories

Boredom
Freedom
Studentdom
Kingdom
Cameldom
Maoridom

7

- ee

Nouns

denoting

sentient Employee

entities that are involved in an Pickpocketee
event as non – volitional Biographee
participant

Amputee
Standee
Rehabilitee

8

- eer

“person who deals in, is Auctioneer
concerned with or has to do Budgeter
with something”

Cameleer


Mountaineer
Pamphleteer
9

-er/ or

Volitional participants in an Blender
event,

instrument

nouns, Mixer

place, origin or residence

Diner
Lounger
Winner

Londoner
New Yorker
Conductor

10

- (e)ry

Locations

which

stand

in Bakery

some kind of connection to Pottery
what is denoted by the base.

Fishery
Cannery
Cakery

11

- ess

Nouns refer exclusively to Princess
female human or animals

Lionees
Hostess
Actress
Stewardess

12

- ful

waitress
Partitive nouns from nominal Bootful
base

words

that

can

construed as containers

be Handful
Cupful
Stickful
Tumblerful
basketful


13

- hood

Concepts, collectivity

Adulthood
Childhood
Farmerhood
Neighborhood
Companionhood

14

- an/ -ian/ - ean

Nouns denoting persons and Technician
places

Electrician
Musician
Bostonian
Lancastrian
Mongolian
Utopian

15

- ing

Processes

Begging
Running
Building
Sleeping

16

- ion

Events or results of processes, Colonization
are

found

primarily

scientific discourse

in Collocation
Starvation
Identification
Classification

17

- ism

Sedimentation
Forming abstract nouns from Blondism
other nouns and adjectives, Parkinsonism

denoting

concept

state, Conservatism

condition, attitude, system of Revisionism
belief or theory

Marxism


18

- ist

Person, attitudes, belief and Ballonist
theory

Careerist
Fantasist
Minimalist

19

- ity

Changing the stress pattern of Curiosity
the base

Productivity
Readability
Responsibility
Solidity

20

- ment

Action

nouns

denoting Assessment

processes or results from

Endorsement
Involvement
Treatment
Improvement

21

- ness

Can be attached to practically Thingness
any adjectives

Happiness

Over – top – ness

22

- ship

State, condition, base words Friendship
are mostly person nouns

Apprenticeship
Statesmanship
Post mastership
Censorship

2.2.1.2 Verbal suffixes


There are four suffixes which derive verbs from other categories: -ate, - en, - ify, ize
Verbal suffixes
- ate

Meaning
Example
Represent a rather large Fluorinate
heterogeneous
There

is

group. Methanate

a

class

of Regulate

derivatives with chemical Dissonate
substances

as

which
exhibit
- en

bases, Fidate

systematically Mercurate
ornative

and

resultative meanings.
Causative “make more of Blacken
something”

Broaden
Quicken
Strengthen

Lengthen

- ify

Shows the same range of Humidity
related meanings

Solidity
Nazify
Purify

- ize

Locative,
causative,

ornative, Computerize
resultative, Randomize

inchoative, performative, Cannibalize
similative

Emphasize
Feminize

2.2.1.3 Adjectival suffixes


The Adjectival suffixes can be subdivided into two major groups. A large
proportion of derived adjectives are relational adjectives, whose role is simply to

relate to nouns the adjective qualifies to the base words. The other group that
expresses more specific concepts is called qualitative adjectives.

Number Adjectival suffixes
1
-able

Meaning
Example
“capable of being Xed” and Perishable
“liable or disposed to X”

Fashionable
Reasonable
Knowledgeable
Allocable

2

- al

Attaches to almost Latin Accidental
bases

Colonial
Cultural
Federal
Modal
Institutional

3

- ary

Again a relational adjective – Complementary
forming suffix

Documentary
Fragmentary
Evolutionary
Legendary
Precautionary

4

- ed

“having X, being provided Broad- minded
with X”

Pig – headed
Wooded


Empty – headed
Short – legged
Kind – hearted
5

- esque

Convey the notion of “ in the Picturesque
manner or style of X”

Chaplinesque
Heingwayesque
Kafkaesque

6

- ful

“having

X,

being Beautiful

characterized by X”

Purposeful
Tactful
Resentful
Forgetful

7

- ic/ ical

Attaches to foreign bases

Economic
Magic
Historic
Historical
electrical
electric

8

- ing

Positions and state

Changing
Boring
Running
Waiting
Raining

9

- ish

Somewhat X, vaguely X, of Clearish
the character of X, like X ot Freeish


pejorative meaning

Soonish
Childish
Selfish

10

- ive

Forms

adjectives

mostly Connective

from Latin verbs and bound Instinctive
root

Massive
Active
Receptive
Passive
Offensive

11

- less

As antonymic to –ful, means Expressionless
“without X”

Hopeless
Careless
Thankless
Speechless

12

- ly

In the manner of X, like an X Womanly
or temporal concepts

Manly
Daily
Monthly
Fatherly

13

- ous

Derives

adjectives

from Curious

nouns and bound root, the Erroneous
vast majority being of Latin Dangerous
origin

Ambiguous
Continuous


2.2.1.4 Adverbial suffixes
Adverbial suffixes
- ly

Meaning
Example
The presence of this exclusively Shortly
de- adjectival suffix is for the Hardly
most part syntactically triggered Dryly
and obligatory, therefore it can Darkly
be considered inflectional.

Carelessly
Happily

- wise

In the manner of X, like X, Food- wise
indicates
arrangement.

movements, Like – wise
Cross – wise
Status-wise

2.2.2 Prefixes
The prefixes of English can be classified semantically into the following groups

1. ACTION
PART

MEANING EXAMPLE PART

MEANING EXAMPLE


cede/ceed (go)

proceed

rupt

(break)

erupt

cred

(believe)

credit

scrib/scrip (write)

describe

graph

(write)

autograph

sect

(cut)

bisect

ject

(throw)

eject

ven

(come)

intervene

mit/miss (send)

emit

ver

(turn)

divert

mute

(change)

commute

viv

(live)

survive

port

(carry)

deport

2. LOCATION
PART

MEANING

EXAMPLE

cir

(around)

circulate

ex

(out)

exit

in

(in)

include

re

(back)

return

sub

(under)

subway

tele

(far)

telephone

trans

(across)

transatlantic

3. UNIVERSE
PART

MEANING

EXAMPLE


geo

(earth)

geology

terr

(earth)

territory

hydr

(water)

hydroplane

aqua

(water)

aquatic

astr

(star)

astronaut

pyr

(fire)

pyrotechnics

PART

MEANING

EXAMPLE

corp

(body)

corporation

card

(heart)

cardiology

derm

(skin)

dermatologist

man

(hand)

manual

dent

(teeth)

dentist

ped/pod

(feet)

pedestrian

cap

(head)

captain

4. BODY

5. HUMAN STATES


PART

MEANING EXAMPLE PART

MEANING EXAMPLE

am

(love)

amiable

(feeling)

sympathy

phil

(love)

Philadelphia mania

(crazy)

maniac

bene

(good)

benefit

(fear)

claustrophobia

eu

(good)

euphemism psycho

(mind)

psychology

mal

(bad)

malcontent bio

(life)

biology

dys

(bad)

dysfunction mor

(death)

mortal

path
phobia

6. PEOPLE
PART

MEANING

EXAMPLE

pater

(father)

patriarch

mater

(mother)

maternity

frater

(brother)

fraternal

domin

(master)

domination

jud

(judge)

judgment

anthro

(people)

anthropology

demo

(people)

democracy

7. SENSES
PART

MEANING

EXAMPLE


spec

(see)

spectator

vis/vid

(see)

visit/ video

scope

(see)

telescope

phon

(hear)

telephone

aud

(hear)

audience

dic

(say)

dictate

loc/loq

(speak)

eloquent

CHAPTER 3: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
VOCABULARY

In the author’s point of view, the implications of English affixation can be applied
in every aspect of teaching and learning the language. However, due to the highly
– recommended practicability and usefulness of this issue, it is suggested that
implications for teaching and learning vocabulary would be of greater necessity
than reading, speaking, listening and writing skills.
That is the reason why this study will mainly focus on teaching and learning
vocabulary. Further study about English affixation in teaching other skills can be
conducted in the future.
Controlling the vocabulary will be much efficient if teacher pay attention to equip
learners with at least some basic concepts about affixation.
The table of suffixes and prefixes were designed in a learner friendly way, so that
not only teachers but also students will find it easy to follow and understand. Once
given the basic knowledge about common suffixes and prefixes, there can be no


considerable difficulty for learners to remember the meaning of long and complex
words.
Examples of some techniques to teach student about English affixation will be
discussed in the following analysis.

3.1 Using pictures and maps

SPECTATOR (spec = see)

CAPTAIN (cap = head)


DENTIST

TELEPHONE

(dent = tooth)

(tele = far; phone = speak)

3.2 Using games

Game 1: Guessing word meaning through multiple choice question
1. What is the meaning of dermatologist
A. a scientist deals with biology
B. a doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the skin.
C. a theory of dental
D. none of the above
The correct answer is B, student will be able to answer this question if they have
already known that derma = related to skin and ist = person doing the action.
2. Which word can complete the following sentence?
The … told every sailors what to do in the terrible storm.
A. Dentist

B. Pedestrian
C. Captain
D. Dermatologist
If learners know that
-

dent = tooth

-

ped = foot

-

cap = head, leading

-

derm = skin

there will be no difficult for them to choose the right answer C in this question.
Game 2: Find out the correct affixation
Teacher may create matching, filling the blank or correcting the wrong affixation
in this kind of game.
• Matching the suitable affixation

Prefixes

Roots

Suffixes

In

Dispens

O

Dis

Tain

Able

Cap

Advantage

Able

Fore

See

ous

• Filling the blank
1. ….ctator :see
2. …sit/ ….eo : see
3. ….scope: far

4. tele….: speak
5. …ience: hear
6. ….tate: write
7. e….uent: speak
• Correcting the wrong affixation
1. Electricist (electrician)
2. scienter (scientist)
3. independition (independence)
4. collocatance (collocation)
These are just a few techniques that can be of great help in teaching the language
vocabulary. Student will find out that remembering the meaning of affixation can
help them a lot in mastering a considerable number of new concepts.

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION

English affixation is one of the most fascinating but confusing part of English.
Whenever the students of English are aware of this matter they will not regard it as
difficulty they have to face with. That is also the reason why I am so concerned
about English affixation and its usefulness.
On the other hand, I believe that further implications of teaching and learning
English affixation can be later studied in the field of teaching reading, listening,
speaking and writing skills. That may be the interest for future research and
studies.


In conclusion, although I have tried to cover every aspect of English affixation,
there are still limits and drawback in my study. Thus, all comments and feedbacks
about my study will be highly appreciated.

CHAPTER 5: REFERENCES

1. Ingo Plag, 2002, Word – formation in English, Cambridge University
Press
2. Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, second edition
3. Adams, Valerie 2001, Complex Words in English, Harlow: Longman
4. Bauer, Laurie 1998b, “When is a sequence of two nouns and is it
productive?”, Linguistics 36: 403 -422
5. Booji, Geert E. 1977, Dutch Morphology: A Study of Word
Formation in Generative Grammar, Lisse: de Ridder.