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CLASSIFICATION OF AFFIXES ACCORDING TO VARIOUS
CRITERIA
Scientific supervisor: Khaydarova Nigora
Andijan state institute of foreign languages
Mirzayeva Muslima
Student, Department of Theory and Practice of
Russian Language, group RF22-02
Annotation: The topic “Classification of Affixes According to Various
Criteria” explores the systematic categorization of affixes—morphemic units attached
to roots or stems—in English. It focuses on different classification principles such as
position in word structure (prefixes, suffixes, infixes, circumfixes), function in part-of-
speech transformation (e.g., nominal, verbal, adjectival affixes), origin (native vs
borrowed), semantic contribution (e.g., negation, intensity, repetition), and usage
(productive vs non-productive). Understanding these classifications is essential for
studying word formation, enriching vocabulary, and analyzing morphological
processes in English linguistics.
Key Words: Affixation, prefixes, suffixes, infixes, circumfixes, word formation,
morphology, part of speech, derivation, inflection, native affixes, borrowed affixes,
semantic function, productivity, linguistic classification, English morphology.
Affixes are morphemes added to a base or root word to alter its meaning or
grammatical function. They play a crucial role in word formation and linguistic
analysis. Affixes can be classified according to several criteria, including their
position in the word structure, part-of-speech influence, origin, semantic
contribution, and usage. Each of these dimensions reveals different aspects of
how affixes function within a language, particularly in English, which borrows
extensively from other languages and has a highly flexible morphological system.
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1. Classification by Position in Word Structure
The most basic classification of affixes concerns their position relative to the root
word:
a. Prefixes
Prefixes are placed before the root and typically modify the meaning of the base
word without changing its grammatical category.
• Examples: un- (unhappy), pre- (preheat), dis- (disagree)
b. Suffixes
Suffixes appear after the root and may either change the grammatical category or
add specific meaning.
• Examples: -ness (kindness), -ly (quickly), -able (readable) c. Infixes
Infixes are inserted within a root word. While rare in English, they appear in some
expressive forms (e.g., fan-bloody-tastic) and are common in other languages
(e.g., Tagalog). d. Circumfixes
Circumfixes surround the root word (prefix + suffix simultaneously). English does
not typically use circumfixes, but they are common in languages like German.
2. Classification by Grammatical Function (Part-of-Speech Shift)
Affixes are also classified by the grammatical or part-of-speech changes they
introduce:
a. Derivational Affixes
These create new words by changing the meaning or the grammatical category.
• Noun to adjective: child → childish
• Verb to noun: perform → performance
• Adjective to adverb: happy → happily
Derivational affixes can be class-maintaining (e.g., re- in rebuild) or class-changing
(e.g., -ness in darkness).
b. Inflectional Affixes
These do not create new words but express grammatical relations such as tense,
number, or possession.
• Examples: -s (dogs), -ed (walked), -ing (running), -’s (John’s)
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English has only eight inflectional affixes, all suffixes.
3. Classification by Origin
Affixes in English come from various linguistic sources:
a. Native Affixes
These are of Old English or Germanic origin.
• Examples: -ful, -less, -ness, -ly
b. Borrowed Affixes
Many are derived from Latin and Greek, especially in scientific and technical
vocabulary.
• Latin: -tion, -able, inter-
• Greek: -ology, -phobia, hyperBorrowed affixes often form learned compounds,
which are especially common in
academic and scientific discourse.
4. Classification by Semantic Contribution (Meaning)
Affixes can be grouped based on the type of meaning they add to the base word:
a. Negative/Privative
• Prefixes like un-, in-, dis- (unhappy, incorrect, disapprove)
b. Pejorative or Diminutive
• Suffixes like -ling (duckling), -ette (kitchenette)
c. Intensifying or Augmentative
• Prefixes like super-, ultra-, over- (superhuman, overdo)
d. Reversal or Removal
• un-, de- (untie, defrost)
Affixes contribute predictable semantic components, aiding in vocabulary
expansion and comprehension.
5. Classification by Usage and Productivity
Another critical distinction is based on how frequently and flexibly affixes are
used:
a. Productive Affixes
These are currently active in forming new words.
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• Examples: -ness, -er, un-, re-
• Neologisms: googlable, reboot, Instagrammer
b. Unproductive (or Semi-productive) Affixes
These no longer actively form new words, but remain in existing vocabulary.
• Examples: -th (warmth), -en (widen), -dom (kingdom)
c. Bound vs. Free Morphemes
Affixes are always bound morphemes, meaning they cannot stand alone, unlike
free morphemes (like root words such as book or run).
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3. Crystal, David. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Blackwell Publishing,
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4. Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hyams. An Introduction to
Language. Cengage Learning, 2017.
5. Katamba, Francis. English Words: Structure, History, Usage. Routledge, 2005.
6. Lieber, Rochelle. Introducing Morphology. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
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8. Quirk, Randolph, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech, and Jan Svartvik. A
Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman, 1985.
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