Every word can be divided into smaller units (morphemes), but only minimal units that have meaning are given this classification. Affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are examples of morphemes. They are used to form new words. The difference between the prefix and the suffix lies in their position in the word. Prefixes are placed before the stem. (part of the word that contains its meaning), and the suffixes after.
The word-forming process that uses prefixes is called prefixing, whereas the one that uses suffixes is called suffixation. However, do prefixes and suffixes only bring morphological information or can they relate to the semantic issue (meaning)? Follow the examples:
- Human beings often perceive themselves useless in the face of problems.
- My Darling is so cutie, which leaves mine happy little heart.
- Your little dress it's kind of out of fashion.
- Take that off kids from here I want peace!
- kids, play the will that is your day.
In example I, there is the presence of the prefix in the word useless. When used, prefixes modify the meaning of the word, as there are huge differences in meaning between someone being useful or useless. However, in general, they do not vary to meet the speaker's communicative need or intention, that is, there is no need to understand the situation in order to interpret what is being said.
In examples II, III, IV and V, it is possible to see that the suffix is present in all utterances, but it will be that, in all, it is fulfilling one of its main functions, which is to indicate the degree (increasing and diminutive)? Are the love and heart present in example II really small? And the dress, from example III? And children have the same meaning in both statements?
Suffixes are extremely important in the process of word derivation, as they modify their meaning and, in general, its grammatical class, for example, from the verb to manifest, manifestation. However, its use goes beyond morphological issues, since its use can be influenced by semantics (meaning), indicating the speaker's intentions, whether explicit (which appear) or implicit (which does not seem).
In the examples cited, suffixes were used as a resource to transmit a message, so they are not related to the size of the objects. In example II, it was used to indicate affection (love, pretty, little heart), in example III and IV, as a discredit (dress and children). In example V and in the word “happy” in example II, the suffixes were used in their conventional form, indicating the degree and marking the collective in children.
From now on, pay close attention when you find any word that has a suffix, remember that it is necessary to analyze the context (the situation) in which the word is inserted to perceive the speaker's intention when using it, because, as seen, the suffixes do not always mark only the gender, degree or grammatical class of the word.
By Mayra Pavan
Graduated in Letters
