Interdiksjon

Interdiksjon, or interfix, is a bound morpheme inserted between two morphemes within a word. Unlike a prefix or suffix, an interfix attaches across a boundary between stems or roots and typically has little or no independent lexical meaning. Its main purpose is phonological or morphophonemic, helping to ease pronunciation, resolve phonotactic constraints, or mark a morphological connection.

Interfixes are usually short and may take the form of a vowel or glide (for example, a light vowel inserted between two material bases) or a consonant sequence. They do not change the core meaning of the word in the same way as derivational or inflectional suffixes or prefixes; instead, they function as a bridging element that clarifies structure or improves fluidity of speech.

The concept is distinguished from infixation, which inserts material inside a single morpheme, and from circumfixes, which surround a base on both sides. Not all languages use interfixes; when they do occur, the interfix is often described as a “glue” element that helps link elements in compounds or in complex derivations.

Examples described in linguistic literature are often hypothetical or language-specific. A typical illustration might involve a compound like root1 + interfix + root2, resulting in root1-e-root2, where the interfix e serves mainly to connect the components rather than to convey separate meaning. Interfixes are also sometimes referred to as glue vowels and are one of several strategies languages employ to manage morphology and phonology.