Derivaní

Derivaní is a term used in morphology to describe the process by which new words are formed from existing bases through derivational strategies such as affixation and compounding. It is often contrasted with inflection, which modifies grammar rather than word class or core meaning. The focus of derivaní is on how form and meaning change to create new lexical items, including changes in word class and semantic specialization.

Etymology: the word derivaní is commonly traced to Latin derivare "to derive," with a nominal ending influenced by regional orthographies that render derivation as -ní. In some grammars, derivaní is used as the noun for the activity of derivation rather than a particular derived form.

Usage and scope: derivaní is discussed in studies of languages with productive derivational systems, including those that employ prefixes, suffixes, infixes, or compounding. The degree of productivity—how many new forms can be created—and semantic drift are central concerns in analyses of derivaní. The process can interact with phonological change and loanword adaptation, influencing the toolkit of derivational morphemes available in a language.

Examples: derivational formation can yield nouns from adjectives (happy → happiness), verbs from nouns (act → action), or specialized terms (pilot from the noun pilot). In practice, derivaní patterns vary across languages and dialects, with some having extensive, productive derivational inventories and others relying more on compounding or borrowing.

See also: derivation, morphology, word formation, affixation.