Affixáció

Affixáció is a linguistic process where one word (the affix) is added to the beginning or end of another word (the base) to create a new word or change the meaning of the existing word. Affixes can be prefixes, suffixes, infixes, or circumfixes, depending on their position relative to the base word.

Prefixes are affixes that are added to the beginning of a word. For example, the prefix "un-" is added to the word "happy" to create "unhappy," changing the meaning from positive to negative. Suffixes, on the other hand, are added to the end of a word. The suffix "-able" is added to the word "happy" to create "happiable," indicating the ability to be happy.

Infixes are affixes that are inserted into the middle of a word, often causing a change in pronunciation. For example, the infix "-um-" is inserted into the word "happy" to create "hap-um-py," changing the pronunciation and sometimes the meaning. Circumfixes are affixes that are added to both the beginning and end of a word, often changing the grammatical function. For example, the circumfix "be...ing" is added to the word "happy" to create "being happy," indicating a continuous state.

Affixáció is a productive process in many languages, allowing for the creation of new words and the expression of complex ideas. It is a fundamental aspect of language structure and plays a crucial role in language development and evolution.