Vorsuffix

Vorsuffix is a theoretical term used in discussions of linguistic morphology to designate a suffix-like morpheme that, in some analyses, is realized or analyzed as attaching to the left of the base rather than to its right. The label is informal and not universally adopted, and its exact definition can vary between authors.

In typological and theoretical contexts, vorsuffix is invoked to illustrate how analysts might reclassify a leftward segment as functioning like a suffix. It is sometimes used in discussions of nonconcatenative morphology, templatic word formation, or the description of constructed languages, where the boundary between stem and affix can be complex or fluid.

Attestation and use of the term are limited. Vorsuffix is not a standardized category in mainstream linguistics, and some scholars view the term as a convenient pedagogical or theoretical device rather than a clearly defined morpheme with consistent properties across languages. Critics argue that labeling a leftward element as a “suffix” can obscure the actual morphosyntactic processes involved or lead to terminological confusion with prefixes, infixes, or circumfixes.

See also: Prefix, Suffix, Inflection, Circumfix, Infix, Morphology, Nonconcatenative morphology.