Adjective Derivation

Adjective minor process of derivation

Adjective Morphology: Common Processes

1. Comparative and Superlative Forms:

    • Adjectives often undergo morphological changes to express degrees of comparison. The comparative form typically involves adding “-er” or “more,” and the superlative involves adding “-est” or using “most.” For example:
      • Adjective: tall → Comparative: taller → Superlative: tallest
      • Adjective: beautiful → Comparative: more beautiful → Superlative: most beautiful

2. Suffixes for Adjective Derivation:

    • Adjectives can be derived from other words through the addition of suffixes. Common suffixes include “-ful,” “-less,” “-able,” and “-al.” For example:
      • Noun: joy → Adjective: joyful
      • Noun: care → Adjective: careless
      • Verb: accept → Adjective: acceptable

3. Prefixes for Adjective Derivation:

    • Adjectives can also be formed by adding prefixes to existing words. For instance:
      • Adjective: regular → Prefix: ir- → Adjective: irregular
      • Adjective: patient → Prefix: im- → Adjective: impatient

4. Conversion from Nouns:

    • Adjectives can be formed by converting nouns. This involves using a noun as an adjective without adding a suffix. For example:
      • Noun: rock → Adjective: rock concert
      • Noun: ice → Adjective: ice cream

5. Compounding:

    • Adjectives can be formed through compounding, where two words are combined. For example:
      • Noun: sun → Adjective: sun-drenched
      • Noun: light → Adjective: light-hearted

6. Reduplication:

    • In some languages, adjectives undergo reduplication, where a portion of the word is repeated for emphasis or to indicate intensity. For example:
      • Adjective: big → Reduplicated Adjective: big-big

Understanding these morphological processes helps us appreciate the flexibility and richness of adjectives in expressing various qualities and characteristics in language. If you had a specific concept or term in mind with “minor process,” please provide additional details so that I can offer more targeted information.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *