Koya university

Faculty of Education

Department of English language

Second Stage

Derivation and inflectional suffixes

Student name : Diyar khalid

Supervisor by : Ms. Aween Tahir Sabir

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Contents
Derivational Suffixes ........................................................................................................................... 4
Inflectional Suffixes ............................................................................................................................ 5
Key Differences Between Derivational and Inflectional Suffixes ................................................... 5
Importance of Understanding Suffixes in Language Learning ...................................................... 5
Reference ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

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Introduction

A. Definition of Morphology

Morphology is the branch of linguistics that studies the structure and form of words within a
language, focusing on how words are constructed from smaller units called morphemes.
Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning and include roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
Morphology examines the internal structure of words and the rules by which words are formed
(Bauer, 2003, pp. 33-55). This field covers both inflection, which adjusts a word to express
different grammatical categories, and derivation, which creates new words or changes the word
class (Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011, pp. 32-54).

B. Importance of Understanding Suffixes

Understanding suffixes is essential for several reasons:

1. Word Formation: Suffixes are crucial in creating new words, enriching the language's
vocabulary, and allowing for more precise communication (Plag, 2003, pp. 75-116).
2. Grammatical Relationships: Suffixes convey vital grammatical information such as
tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case (Matthews, 1991, pp. 146-
169).
3. Part of Speech Identification: Suffixes help in identifying and forming different parts of
speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs (Katamba, 1993, pp. 52-77).
4. Understanding Language Patterns: Recognizing suffixes aids in decoding unfamiliar
words and understanding their meanings through identifiable patterns (Bauer, 2003, pp.
83-101).
5. Enhancing Communication Skills: Mastery of suffixes enhances both written and
spoken communication by enabling more precise and nuanced expression (Aronoff &
Fudeman, 2011, pp. 75-98).

C. Overview of the Report Structure

This report will provide a comprehensive understanding of derivational and inflectional suffixes
in English morphology. It will cover:

1. Derivational Suffixes: Definition, examples, impact on meaning and grammatical

category, and rules.
2. Inflectional Suffixes: Definition, examples, regularity, and application across different
parts of speech.
3. Key Differences Between Derivational and Inflectional Suffixes: Function, meaning,
productivity, and examples.
4. Importance of Understanding Suffixes in Language Learning: Enhancing vocabulary,
grammar skills, and applications in linguistics.

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Derivational Suffixes
A. Definition and Purpose

Derivational suffixes are affixes added to the base form of a word to create a new word or
change the word’s grammatical category. They play a vital role in expanding the vocabulary and
flexibility of a language.

1. Creating New Words: Derivational suffixes enable the formation of new words with
distinct meanings from their root forms. For example, adding "-ness" to "happy" forms
"happiness," a noun with a related but different meaning from the adjective "happy"
(Bauer, 2003, pp. 33-55).
2. Changing Grammatical Categories: These suffixes can change a word’s part of speech.
For instance, adding "-ly" to the adjective "quick" transforms it into the adverb "quickly,"
thereby altering its grammatical category (Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011, pp. 32-54).

B. Examples of Derivational Suffixes

1. -ness (adjectives to nouns):

o "Happy" (adjective) + "-ness" = "Happiness" (noun)
o "Sad" (adjective) + "-ness" = "Sadness" (noun) (Plag, 2003, pp. 75-116)
2. -ly (adjectives to adverbs):
o "Quick" (adjective) + "-ly" = "Quickly" (adverb)
o "Careful" (adjective) + "-ly" = "Carefully" (adverb) (Matthews, 1991, pp. 121-145)
3. -er (verbs to nouns):
o "Teach" (verb) + "-er" = "Teacher" (noun)
o "Write" (verb) + "-er" = "Writer" (noun) (Katamba, 1993, pp. 52-77)
4. -ment (verbs to nouns):
o "Develop" (verb) + "-ment" = "Development" (noun)
o "Enjoy" (verb) + "-ment" = "Enjoyment" (noun) (Bauer, 2003, pp. 83-101)
5. -able/-ible (verbs to adjectives):
o "Read" (verb) + "-able" = "Readable" (adjective)
o "Flex" (verb) + "-ible" = "Flexible" (adjective) (Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011, pp. 75-98)

C. Impact on Word Meaning and Grammatical Category

Derivational suffixes significantly alter the meanings and grammatical categories of the base
words to which they are attached. By changing the part of speech, these suffixes allow the same
root to function in different syntactic roles. For example, the suffix "-ment" transforms the verb
"develop" into the noun "development," shifting its function from an action to a concept or state
(Plag, 2003, pp. 75-116).

D. Limitations and Rules

While derivational suffixes are productive, they are not universally applicable to all words and
are subject to certain linguistic constraints. For example, not all adjectives can take the suffix "-

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ness" to form a noun. Additionally, some derivational processes may alter the spelling of the
base word (e.g., "happy" to "happiness" where the "y" changes to "i") (Matthews, 1991, pp. 146-
169). The application of these suffixes is also influenced by phonological, morphological, and
semantic rules that govern word formation in English (Katamba, 1993, pp. 52-77).

Inflectional Suffixes
Key Differences Between Derivational and Inflectional Suffixes
A. Function

1. Creating New Words vs. Modifying Existing Words: Derivational suffixes create new words by
adding meaning and changing the grammatical category of the base word. For instance, adding
"-ness" to "happy" forms "happiness," a noun derived from an adjective. In contrast, inflectional
suffixes modify existing words to express different grammatical relationships without altering
the core meaning or word class. For example, "cat" becomes "cats" with the addition of the
plural suffix "-s" (Bauer, 2003, pp. 33-55; Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011, pp. 65-88).

B. Effect on Meaning

1. Significant Shifts vs. Grammatical Modifications: Derivational suffixes can cause significant
shifts in meaning. For instance, "create" (verb) changes to "creation" (noun) with the addition of
"-ion," shifting from an action to a result or object. Inflectional suffixes, however, result in
grammatical modifications. The addition of "-ed" to "walk" simply indicates the past tense,
maintaining the core action of the verb (Plag, 2003, pp. 75-116; Matthews, 1991, pp. 74-89).

C. Productivity and Selectivity

1. Selective Application of Derivational vs. Regular Application of Inflectional: Derivational

suffixes are more selective in their application, often restricted to specific bases. For example, "-
ness" cannot be added to every adjective. On the other hand, inflectional suffixes follow more
regular and predictable patterns, applying broadly across applicable words. Most regular verbs
can take the "-ed" suffix to indicate past tense, demonstrating the broad application of
inflectional morphology (Katamba, 1993, pp. 52-77; Bauer, 2003, pp. 110-118).

D. Examples to Illustrate Differences

• Derivational Example: "Happy" (adjective) + "-ness" = "Happiness" (noun). This transformation

creates a new word with a different grammatical category and meaning.
• Inflectional Example: "Dog" (singular noun) + "-s" = "Dogs" (plural noun). This modification
maintains the core meaning and word class while expressing a grammatical relationship
(plurality) (Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011, pp. 76-88; Plag, 2003, pp. 120-136).

Importance of Understanding Suffixes in Language Learning

A. Enhancing Vocabulary and Comprehension

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Understanding suffixes enriches vocabulary by enabling learners to decode unfamiliar words
based on recognizable patterns. For example, recognizing that "-able" often turns verbs into
adjectives (e.g., "read" to "readable") enhances vocabulary acquisition (Bauer, 2003, pp. 83-
101). Moreover, knowledge of suffixes aids in understanding nuances of meaning and usage,
thereby improving overall comprehension of written and spoken language (Matthews, 1991, pp.
146-169).

B. Improving Grammar and Writing Skills

Mastery of suffixes contributes to improved grammar skills by enhancing the ability to form
grammatically correct sentences. For instance, understanding how "-ed" signifies past tense in
verbs helps learners construct coherent narratives and express ideas temporally (Aronoff &
Fudeman, 2011, pp. 75-98). Moreover, awareness of suffixes supports effective writing by
allowing for precise and nuanced expression, facilitating clearer communication of thoughts and
ideas (Plag, 2003, pp. 75-116).

C. Application in Linguistics and Language Teaching

In linguistics, suffixes play a crucial role in analyzing and understanding the structure of
languages. They provide insights into language evolution, word formation processes, and
syntactic patterns (Katamba, 1993, pp. 52-77). In language teaching, focusing on suffixes helps
educators design effective strategies for vocabulary expansion and grammar instruction. By
integrating suffix awareness into curriculum and pedagogy, teachers foster language proficiency
and literacy skills among learners (Bauer, 2003, pp. 33-55).

Conclusion
Suffixes in English morphology are pivotal for creating new words (e.g., "-ness"
forming nouns like "happiness") and modifying grammatical functions (e.g., "-ed"
for past tense). They enhance vocabulary, refine comprehension, and improve
grammar and writing skills by enabling precise expression. In linguistics, suffixes
provide insights into language evolution and structural patterns, aiding in language
teaching and analysis. Overall, suffixes play a crucial role in both linguistic
analysis and practical language use, shaping the richness and flexibility of English
communication.

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Reference
1Bauer, L. (2003). Introducing Linguistic Morphology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2 Aronoff, M., & Fudeman, K. (2011). What is Morphology? 2nd edn. Oxford: Wiley-
Blackwell.
3 Plag, I. (2003). Word-Formation in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4 Matthews, P. H. (1991). Morphology. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
5 Katamba, F. (1993). Morphology. London: Palgrave Macmillan

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