gyökból

Gyökból is a term used primarily in theoretical linguistics to describe a hypothetical approach to word formation in which a word is analyzed as arising directly from a root, with the semantic core of the root carried into the derived form. The term is not part of standard morphology terminology and is mostly encountered in teaching contexts or discursive essays, where it serves to illustrate the boundary between root, stem, and affixes. The word combines the Hungarian gyökér “root” with -ból “from.”

In gyökból analysis, the root is treated as the central unit of meaning and origin, while derivational processes are viewed as modifications that do not sever the link to the root's identity. This perspective can help highlight cases where related words share a common root and where affixation may be seen as optional or secondary in historical derivations. Critics argue that the approach oversimplifies languages with complex root-and-pattern morphology, irregular derivational histories, or productive affixes.

Example: a hypothetical root R yields a family of forms W1, W2 through patterns that are described as directly attached to R rather than as independent morphemes; in a gyökból account, all members are traced back to R with the pattern applied, preserving the root's referential core.

Notes: Because gyökból is not widely adopted in descriptive grammars, reputable references are limited; the term appears mainly as a pedagogical device or thought experiment. See also root, morphology, derivation.