LEXICOLOGY 2010/11

Lectures: Thu: 08:30-11:30

Tutorials: Wed: 08:30-10:00
Lecture 9–Prefixation and suffixation
Review questions:
1. Study the examples below and with help of a good dictionary answer the following
questions:
monochrome monolingual unicellular unilateral
monogamy monolith unicycle unipolar
monogenesis monologue unidirectional unique
monoism monorail unify unitary
a) What is the meaning of the prefix mono- and uni-?
b) What is their source?
c) What bases can this prefixes be attached to normally? List as many relevant
factors that play a role in the selection of these prefixes as you can think of.
d) What is the lexical class of words formed by mono- and uni- prefixation?
2. Make a phonemic transcription of the following English words and with help of a good
dictionary answer the questions that follow
immigrant imprudent incomparable inject
impel inalienable indirectness inlet
implant inarticulate indoors innumerable
import inbred induction inorganic
impractical incalculable inexpressive insane
impregnate incapable inglorious intemperateness
imprison incarnate ingressive involuntary
a) State the meaning of each prefix morpheme that you can identify.
b) Attempt to write the morphophonemic rules that make a general statement
predicting the distribution of the allomorphs of the morphemes that you have
recognized. I you encounter any variations, or any differences, comment on
them.
3. By adding one of the following prefixes: counter-, de-, dis-, in- and non-, as well as
the native English un-, make negatives of the following words or reverse their
meaning. Consult your dictionary to make sure that the word which you form actually
exists. Example:
resistible – irresistible
i. audible vi. militarise
ii. combustible vii. persuasive
iii. clockwise viii. resident
iv. enfranchise ix. resistence
v. inclination x. sensitise
4. By changing the prefix, form the antonyms of each of the following words: Example:
exhale - inhale
i. accelerate v. converge ix. prelude
ii. ante-bellum vi. depreciatex. persuade
iii. asent vii. discord xi. retrogress
iv. associate viii. inflate xii. supersonic
5. With a help of a good dictionary, define the following words in such a way that
indicate the force of the prefix: Example: diagonal = at an angle across
 i. abyss v. anestheticix. apostle
ii. amoral vi. anonymous x. catapult
iii. amphitheatre vii. antarctic xi. catastrophe
iv. anarchy viii. antiseptic xii. diameter
6. With the aid of a dictionary explain the following numerical prefixes/bases:
Example: primate = (a) ‘one who occupies the first rank’; (b) ‘one of the highest or
first order of mammals, including man and the apes’
i. biscuit ii. centurion iii. mile iv. Octogenarian v. primer
vi.. primeval vii. Septuagint viii.trillion ix. trivial x. Unicorn
7. Use either dis- or mis- with the following words:
i. advantage ii. agree iii. appear iv. belief v. continue
vi.. connect vii. Credict viii.hear ix. honest x. infect
xi. information xii. judge xiii. like xiv. obey xv. please
xvi. pronunciation xvii. quote xviii. respect xix. spend xx. use
8. Which of the following adjectives take the negative prefix un- rather that in- and vice
versa:
i. define ii. destructible iii. fallible iv. fashionable v. faithful
vi.. offensive vii. official viii. reliable ix. recognisable x. secure
xi. sensible xii. separable xiii. sincere xiv. sufficient xv. suspicious
xvi. tangible xvii. tolerant xviii. valid xix. wise xx. worthy
9. Some of these verbs take mal- and some mis-
i. adjust ii. behave iii. calculate iv. construe v. direct
vi.. function vii. inform viii. judge ix. like x. manage
xi. nourish xii. place xiii. print xiv. quote xv. read
xvi. recognise xvii. represent xviii. treat xix. speak xx. teach
10. With a help of a dictionary, distinguish in meaning between the following pair of
words:
i. amnesia – anamnesia vi. immoral – amoral
ii. anesthesia – paresthesia vii. supersonic – hypersonic
iii. anti-Christian - ante-Christian viii. symbolism – embolism
iv. antiseptic – aseptic ix. sympathy – empathy
v. hypocritical – hypercritical x. synonym - homonym
11. For each of the nine relationships below provide two affixes (prefixes or suffixes)
which express the given word class relationships. For each affix give two words
containing that affix with the given function.
N-V V-N A-N Example: hospital…ise ‘put/turn in X’
N-A V-A A-V ionise
N-N V-V A-A en…slave ‘turn/put into X’
(Note that not all of these are class changing.)
(Hint: Try looking through a book or newspaper and analysing all the words you
suspect of being derivationally complex. You might be surprised of how many there
are.)
12. In English, the suffix –er can be added to place names. Examine the words in the two
columns below and answer the questions.
a. Berliner b. Australiaer
Dubliner Bristoler
Londoner Calcuttaer
Newfoundlander Denverer
 New Yorker Glasgower
New Zealander Sydneyer
Winnipeger Victoriaer
i. In general terms, what does the suffix –er mean in these woeds?
ii. How is this –er different in meaning from the –er found in the words skater and
walker?
iii. State the restrictions on the distribution of –er illustrated above in your own
words.
iv. Does this restriction also apply to the type of –er used in the word skater? (How
would you call the one who discovers and the one who ploughs?)
13. Make a list of ten words containing the suffix –ic as in allergic and magnetic, and then
answer the following questions:
i. What lexical class do the bases to which –ic is added belong?
ii. What is the lexical class of the resulting word?
iii. Does –ic attach freely to all eligible bases? If not give two examples of bases
which are supposed to be suitable for –ic suffixation but which fail to take this
suffix.
14. Compare the following pairs, and then answer the following questions:
actor – actress manager – manageress
author – authoress mayor – mayoress
editor – editress poet – poetess
emperor – empress prince – princess
lion – lioness waiter – waitress
i. What is the lexical class of the bases that the suffix –ess attaches to?
ii. W hat is the lexical class of the resulting word?
iii. What is the meaning of this suffix?
15. Study the following data, and then answer the questions below:
anarchist frigid dancer
chartist gravid player
communist humid reader
pianist splendid swimmer
racist tepid writer
i. Divide the words into components and list all the suffixes.
ii. State the meaning of the morphemes represented in the data.
iii. Find five more words which are formed using each of the identified suffixes.
iv. State the staring and the resulting classes for each of the suffixes.
16. Change each of the words below to mean ‘one or a person who X’s’:
accounting engine library simple
chemistry essay parliament surgery
comedy fire physics travel
drug guard senate type
drunk humanity serving variety
electric humour shoe victory
17. Give the adjectives corresponding to the following proper nouns:
Afganistan Laos Portugal Sweden
Bangladesh Luxemb(o)urg Scotland Syria
Denmark Mongolia Senegal Tanzania
Finland the Philippines Spain United Kingdom
 Holland Poland Sri Lanka Wales
18. Form adjectives from the following words using the appropriate suffix and make any
necessary spelling changes. (Note: some of the words may already be adjectives.):
flower heart honour man
force heaven joy mother
fragment help knowledge motion
fury hero legend name
globe home life pleasure
19. Form adjectives from the following words using the suffixes –like, -some and –
worthy:
adventure credit news tire
animal desert note trouble
awe dream praise trust
burden fear quarrel tuna
cat lone three weary
20. Add to the following bases as many suffixes as you can:
act… excite.. mother… terror…
arriv… flex… partner… thirty…
child… harm… productive… violin…
cloud… hope… read… wash…
drink.. modern… sail… weak…