Sananmuodostuslisäys

Sananmuodostuslisäys, often translated as derivation or affixation in English linguistics, refers to the process of forming new words by adding morphemes, known as affixes, to a base word or root. These affixes can be prefixes, which are added to the beginning of a word, or suffixes, which are added to the end. The addition of an affix alters the meaning and/or the grammatical category of the original word, creating a new lexical item.

For example, in Finnish, the suffix -nen can be added to adjectives to form diminutives or nouns. The word "pieni" (small) can become "pienoinen" (tiny). Similarly, the prefix "epä-" in Finnish can negate the meaning of a word, as in "onnellinen" (happy) becoming "epäonnellinen" (unhappy).

This process is a fundamental mechanism for lexical expansion in many languages, allowing for the creation of a rich vocabulary from a limited set of root words. Sananmuodostuslisäys is distinct from inflection, which modifies a word to indicate grammatical function like tense or number but does not create a new word. Understanding sananmuodostuslisäys is crucial for comprehending word formation patterns and the nuances of word meaning within a language. It contributes significantly to the flexibility and expressiveness of a language's lexicon.