Word Formation Questions
The difference between affixation and compounding in word formation lies in the way new words are created.
Affixation involves adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words to create new words. These affixes can change the meaning or grammatical function of the base word. For example, adding the prefix "un-" to the word "happy" creates the new word "unhappy," which means not happy.
On the other hand, compounding involves combining two or more complete words to create a new word. The meaning of the new word is often a combination of the meanings of the individual words. For example, combining the words "rain" and "bow" creates the new word "rainbow," which refers to the colorful arc that appears in the sky after rain.
In summary, affixation involves adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words, while compounding involves combining two or more complete words to create a new word.