Word Formation Questions Long
Derivation in word formation refers to the process of creating new words by adding affixes to existing words. Affixes can be either prefixes or suffixes, which are attached to the base word to change its meaning or grammatical function.
Prefixes are added at the beginning of a word, while suffixes are added at the end. By adding these affixes, the derived word may have a different part of speech, such as changing a noun into a verb or an adjective into an adverb.
For example, the noun "friend" can be derived into the verb "befriend" by adding the prefix "be-" at the beginning. Similarly, the adjective "happy" can be derived into the adverb "happily" by adding the suffix "-ly" at the end.
Derivation allows for the expansion of vocabulary and the creation of new words that convey specific meanings or functions. It is a productive process in English word formation, as there are numerous affixes that can be combined with different base words to create a wide range of derived words.