Many native speakers of the English language come to a point at which they are not sure how to form a word composed out of a verb and a suffix. They struggle when it comes to putting the stress correctly or deciding whether a vowel stays the same or whether it is shortened or lengthened.
This term paper deals with Latin suffixes attached to Latin-based words and the phonological changes that go along with them.
For this matter, the historical background of phonological changes will be given. This also includes how Latin suffixes found their way into the English language. In addition, a distinction between different kinds, i.e. different origins, of vocabulary will be given. When talking about stress and its movement as well as suffixes that cause them, lexical strata cannot be left out of consideration. Therefore, I will give an overview over how strata work and what has to be paid attention to when using them.
The model of lexical strata is of great importance when the theory of Latin suffixes is focused on. The various aspects of lexical strata will be explained. Resulting from that, this paper will deal with where the differences between neutral and non-neutral suffixes lie and how they can be distinguished and categorized.
Furthermore and as the main point of this paper, Latin suffixes will be focused on. This includes how suffixes affect the verb they are attached to and which suffix is attached to which form of the verb. Is there a rule for this all or is it rather arbitrary? Do all the verbs and their suffixes have to be stored in the mental lexicon? Do people who know the Latin language have an “advantage” over those learning the suffixes by heart? Why is it that native speakers struggle and, more often than not, choose the “easiest” way to form words composed out of a verb and a Latin suffix?
These are questions that this paper will attempt to answer and clarify. The paper will also try to set a new approach to explaining a regularity and constancy in forming adjectives that derive from Latin verbs.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Historical background
2.1 Stress movement
3 Lexical strata
3.1 Stratum ordering
3.2 Neutral lexical strata
3.3 Non-neutral lexical strata
4 Latin suffixes
4.1 Distinction between –able and –ible
4.2 Neutral Latin adjectives
4.3 Non-neutral Latin adjectives
5 Conclusion
6 List of references
7 Attachments
Objectives and Research Focus
This study investigates the morphological and phonological processes surrounding Latin-derived suffixes in English adjectives. It seeks to clarify whether the formation of these adjectives follows predictable, systematic rules or is fundamentally arbitrary, and analyzes why native speakers often struggle with non-neutral suffixation compared to more straightforward morphological patterns.
- Analysis of phonological changes including stress movement, vowel shifting, and consonant alterations.
- Examination of the Lexical Strata theory (neutral vs. non-neutral affixes).
- Investigation into the morphological distinction between the suffixes –able and –ible.
- Exploration of Latin-based etymological patterns in English de-verbal adjective formation.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Neutral lexical strata
The most important criterion when it comes to distinguishing non-neutral from neutral strata is stress (Carstairs-McCarthy 61). Neutral, or class II, affixes which will be dealt with in this section have the property of not changing the stress of a word when they are attached. So attaching an affix to a word does not affect the way the word will be pronounced. The stress stays the same to where the word was stressed before the affix was placed. Prominent examples of neutral lexical strata are the following suffixes1:
-less: hóme-less, pówer-less, regárd-less
-ly: friénd-ly, wíde-ly, nórmal-ly
-ize: pátron-ize, réal-ize, compúter-ize
-ness: absúrd-ness, cálm-ness, dízzy-ness
-ful: chéer-ful, píti-ful, respéct-ful
These examples show that neutral lexical strata do not have any effect on where the stress is put on a word. Moreover, a word like friend-li-ness demonstrates that and how affixes belonging to class II have the property of having to be arranged in a particular order to form a grammatically correct word. It would, for example, not be grammatical to put *home-ness-less rather than home-less-ness. Class II affixes like the ones above are mostly of Germanic origin whereas class I affixes which will be topic of the next section are of Latinate or Greek descent (Katamba Stonham 92).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the difficulties native speakers face with suffixation and highlights the paper's focus on Latin-based phonological changes and the theory of lexical strata.
2 Historical background: The chapter explores how Latin influences entered the English language following historical events like the Battle of Hastings and discusses the resulting mixture of "native" and "borrowed" vocabulary.
3 Lexical strata: This section explains the model of hierarchically organized strata in the mental lexicon and defines the distinction between neutral (class II) and non-neutral (class I) affixes.
4 Latin suffixes: The chapter analyzes the specific usage of and differences between –able and –ible, and categorizes Latin de-verbal adjectives into neutral and non-neutral groups based on their derivation from irregular or regular Latin principal parts.
5 Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, confirming that suffixation is governed by rules rather than arbitrariness, and discusses practical implications for word formation.
Keywords
Latin suffixes, Phonological changes, English adjectives, Lexical strata, Stress movement, Morphology, Neutral affixes, Non-neutral affixes, Etymology, De-verbal adjectives, Mental lexicon, Word formation, –able, –ible, Anglicization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper focuses on Latin suffixes in the English language and the phonological changes (such as stress shifting or vowel/consonant alteration) that accompany their attachment to verbs to form adjectives.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
The central themes include the historical infiltration of Latin elements into English, the functional model of lexical strata (class I vs. class II affixes), and the morphological regularity governing Latin-based adjective formation.
What is the central research question?
The paper probes whether word formation processes with Latin suffixes are arbitrary or follow a consistent, predictable system, and explores why speakers find certain formations more challenging than others.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a morphological and phonological analysis based on the theory of lexical strata and historical linguistic evidence, examining how different affix classes interact with word stems.
What content is covered in the main section?
The main sections provide a detailed explanation of historical influences, the mechanisms of lexical strata, and a breakdown of how specific suffixes like –able and –ible behave when attached to Latinate roots.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include Lexical strata, Latin suffixes, English morphology, stress movement, and de-verbal adjectives.
Why is the "right-headedness" concept mentioned in the study?
It is used to explain that in complex words, the right-handmost suffix determines the word class of the entire derivation, serving as the "head" of the formation.
How does the author distinguish between –able and –ible?
The distinction is primarily linked to etymological origin; –able often derives from the Latin infinitival form, while –ible frequently correlates with the Latin past participle form of the verb.
What specific problem does the "Non-neutral" affix category pose?
Non-neutral or "strong" affixes are problematic because they are less predictable; they can shift stress and alter the internal phonological segments of the base, leading to uncertainty for speakers.
Why do native speakers prefer Class II (neutral) affixes according to the author?
Native speakers favor neutral affixes because they do not trigger changes to the original stress or vowel structure of the stem, making them easier to apply productively without worrying about irregularities.
- Quote paper
- Benjamin Halking (Author), 2014, Latin suffixes and phonological changes in English adjectives, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1288074
