Word Formation Questions Medium
Derivation is a process of word formation in which new words are created by adding affixes to existing words. Affixes can be either prefixes or suffixes, which are added to the beginning or end of a base word, respectively.
The process of derivation involves changing the meaning or grammatical category of the base word. For example, adding the prefix "un-" to the base word "happy" creates the derived word "unhappy," which changes the meaning of the word to "not happy." Similarly, adding the suffix "-er" to the base word "teach" creates the derived word "teacher," which changes the grammatical category from a verb to a noun.
Derivation can also involve combining multiple affixes with a base word. For instance, adding the prefix "re-" and the suffix "-ing" to the base word "write" results in the derived word "rewriting," which indicates the action of writing again.
The process of derivation allows for the creation of new words with different meanings, grammatical categories, or both. It plays a crucial role in expanding the vocabulary of a language and allows speakers to express themselves more precisely.