Explain the process of derivation in word formation.

Word Formation Questions



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Explain the process of derivation in word formation.

Derivation is a process in word formation where new words are created by adding affixes to existing words. Affixes can be prefixes, which are added at the beginning of a word, or suffixes, which are added at the end of a word.

The process of derivation involves changing the meaning or grammatical category of the base word. For example, adding the prefix "un-" to the word "happy" creates the word "unhappy," which has the opposite meaning. Similarly, adding the suffix "-er" to the verb "teach" creates the noun "teacher," indicating a person who teaches.

Derivation can also involve changing the word class of a base word. For instance, adding the suffix "-ly" to the adjective "quick" creates the adverb "quickly." In this case, the word class changes from an adjective to an adverb.

Overall, derivation is a productive process in word formation that allows for the creation of new words by adding affixes to existing words, altering their meaning or grammatical category.