Week 3 lecture 2 Part A - derivations Derivations Derivation is a word building or forming process. Creates a word with a meaning and/or category that is distinct from its base. Different from its base. Derivation commonly involves affixation. For example, the English suffix -er combines with a Verb (V) to form a Noun (N) meaning 'one who Vs'. Base Derived form Sell Sell-er (one who sells) Write writ-er (one who writes) Examples of Derivation ize combines with nouns and adjectives to form causative verbs. un- combines with verbs and adjectives to form reversive words of the same category. ? See Table 4.6 in the textbook for a longer list of English derivational affixes. Sectional Restrictions modern then add ize = modernize it's a verb. But modern is the adj. Then adding "ize" suffix makes a verb -affixes do not attach freely to bases of all types.
Sectional Restrictions: affixes are restricted with regard to the category of the bases to which they attach. They are said to select for a particular category or set of categories. Affix section result exs -al verbesnoun -ness adj noun refus-al dispos-al recit-al fair-ness , kind-ness (Attaches to a verb and results into a noun) Complex Derivations There can be more than one layer of affixation. This happens in complex derivations. Affixation is a process that can be repeated. Affixation applies in cycles. U can take any word and add to a category, u could go on forever. Create complex words. Act = verb Then add -ive Then add at Then add ion which = a noun Ex: word - bike-r Then walk-er Constraints on Derivation Sectional restrictions When we analyze complex derivations, it is necessary to pay attention to sectional restrictions. Ex = un-happi-ness Start off with happi then add a prefix of un then add -ness to add the form of a noun on unhappiness. We cant put ness to happi because it means its happy but then we can add un as it likes to attach to adjectives. But we get the reverse of the meaning and that is why it doesn't work. Un cannot attach to a noun.
Sectional restrictions affecting un and ness Un- adj, V - Adj, V -ness adj- N un-kind, un-do, un-wind bright-ness, day-ness, speak-ness We cannot attach ness to a noun. Ness only attaches to adjectves. Idiosyncratic Constraints Historical Origin The suffix -ant (latin) can only combine with bases of Latin origin. Assist-ant, combat-ant *help-ant, fight-ant = cant have these Note: speakers dont know the origin of the bases. They learn which bases -ant combines with on a case-by-case basis. We learn which bases over time. Speakers develop a sense to recognize words of Latin origin, recognize morphemes in them. Blocking in some cases, derivation may be blocked because the language already has a simple word with the intended meaning. steal-er ('one who steals') is blocked by thief* *cook-er ('one who cooks') is blocked by cook 2 blockings. Blocked by cook and a cooker refers