WORD FORMATION PROCESSES
The word formation process is the branch of morphology that is concerned with the role of
expanding our vocabulary and it helps us to communicate very effectively. It is located within
morphemes Odebunmi (2001). According to Muir (1972) can be simple or complex. A word is
described as simple when it has one morpheme and complex when it contains one two or more
morphemes (Odebunmi 2001).
There are two types of morphemes –free or bound morphemes. Free morphemes are independent
in terms of form and meaning while bound morphemes depend on free morpheme for form and
meaning.
1. Affixation
Affixation is the process of inflection or derivation that consists of adding an affix. It is the
process of adding affixes to the roots or base in order to vary or modify meaning. The two
primary kinds of affixation are prefixation and suffixation.
i. Prefix: This is a meaningful unit smaller than a word added at the beginning of a word to
change its meaning. It may be one or more than one syllable.
Im- is placed before bilabial sounds /p, b, m/. Examples:
balance imbalance
possible impossible
patient impatient
pure impure
mortal immortal
movable immovable
In- is used before alveolar and velar sounds /d, k, s/ and the labio-dental fricative /v/. Examples:
visible invisible
definite indefinite
sincere insincere
competent incompetent
direct indirect
convenience inconvenience
decision indecision
credible incredible
Ir- is used before r. Examples:
Regular irregular
relevant irrelevant
resistible irresistible
responsible irresponsible
resolute irresolute
reparable irreparable
, Il- is used before l. Examples
logical illogical
legitimate illegitimate
legal illegal
literate illiterate
Suffixation
Suffixes are important in determining the meanings of words in English. They are either
inflections added at the end of a word or they change the grammatical class of words they are
attached to. Let us consider the examples below:
i. -ment
amend amendment
defile defilement
detach detachment
incite incitement
embellish embellishment
argue argument
ii. –ion/-tion
collect collection
resolve resolution
obstruct obstruction
adopt adoption
repress repression
adapt adaptation
iii. –ation. The suffix –ation is added to some verbs ending in –ise. The final e is dropped before
the addition of –ation.
authorize authorization
improvise improvisation
civilize civilization
polarize polarization
Inflectional morphemes
An inflectional morpheme is added to a noun, verb, adjective or adverb to assign a particular
grammatical property to that word such as: tense, number, possession, or comparison.
Tense -: -d, -t, -id, -ing Like in: stopped, running, stirred, waited
Number -: -s, -z, -iz Like in: cats, horses, dogs
Possession -e in: stopped, running, stirred, waited o Possession: -‘s Like in: Alex’s
Comparison --er, -en Like in: greater, heighten *note that –er is also a derivational morpheme so
don’t mix them up!!
These do do not change the essential meaning or the grammatical category of a word. Adjectives
stay adjectives, nouns remain nouns, and verbs stay verbs
The word formation process is the branch of morphology that is concerned with the role of
expanding our vocabulary and it helps us to communicate very effectively. It is located within
morphemes Odebunmi (2001). According to Muir (1972) can be simple or complex. A word is
described as simple when it has one morpheme and complex when it contains one two or more
morphemes (Odebunmi 2001).
There are two types of morphemes –free or bound morphemes. Free morphemes are independent
in terms of form and meaning while bound morphemes depend on free morpheme for form and
meaning.
1. Affixation
Affixation is the process of inflection or derivation that consists of adding an affix. It is the
process of adding affixes to the roots or base in order to vary or modify meaning. The two
primary kinds of affixation are prefixation and suffixation.
i. Prefix: This is a meaningful unit smaller than a word added at the beginning of a word to
change its meaning. It may be one or more than one syllable.
Im- is placed before bilabial sounds /p, b, m/. Examples:
balance imbalance
possible impossible
patient impatient
pure impure
mortal immortal
movable immovable
In- is used before alveolar and velar sounds /d, k, s/ and the labio-dental fricative /v/. Examples:
visible invisible
definite indefinite
sincere insincere
competent incompetent
direct indirect
convenience inconvenience
decision indecision
credible incredible
Ir- is used before r. Examples:
Regular irregular
relevant irrelevant
resistible irresistible
responsible irresponsible
resolute irresolute
reparable irreparable
, Il- is used before l. Examples
logical illogical
legitimate illegitimate
legal illegal
literate illiterate
Suffixation
Suffixes are important in determining the meanings of words in English. They are either
inflections added at the end of a word or they change the grammatical class of words they are
attached to. Let us consider the examples below:
i. -ment
amend amendment
defile defilement
detach detachment
incite incitement
embellish embellishment
argue argument
ii. –ion/-tion
collect collection
resolve resolution
obstruct obstruction
adopt adoption
repress repression
adapt adaptation
iii. –ation. The suffix –ation is added to some verbs ending in –ise. The final e is dropped before
the addition of –ation.
authorize authorization
improvise improvisation
civilize civilization
polarize polarization
Inflectional morphemes
An inflectional morpheme is added to a noun, verb, adjective or adverb to assign a particular
grammatical property to that word such as: tense, number, possession, or comparison.
Tense -: -d, -t, -id, -ing Like in: stopped, running, stirred, waited
Number -: -s, -z, -iz Like in: cats, horses, dogs
Possession -e in: stopped, running, stirred, waited o Possession: -‘s Like in: Alex’s
Comparison --er, -en Like in: greater, heighten *note that –er is also a derivational morpheme so
don’t mix them up!!
These do do not change the essential meaning or the grammatical category of a word. Adjectives
stay adjectives, nouns remain nouns, and verbs stay verbs
