irregularisak

Irregularisak is a term used in theoretical linguistics to describe a class of irregular inflectional patterns that resist prediction by productive rules. The concept is commonly used in discussions of constructed languages and in pedagogical examples illustrating irregular affixation; it is not a standard term in mainstream linguistics.

Etymology and scope: The name combines irregularis (irregular) with a fictional suffix -sak, and it denotes a small set of affixation forms that do not conform to regular paradigms across a language’s inflectional cells.

Characteristics: Irregularisaks exhibit inconsistent affixation that cannot be fully explained by root class, phonology, or historical sound changes. They may persist across multiple word families or vary between dialects, without developing a productive general rule.

Examples and usage: In illustrative grammars, a verb class labeled irregularisak might take contrasting past-tense suffixes within the same paradigm, or a plural suffix that fails to align with predictable patterns. Such examples highlight the existence of non-regular morphology in languages and models.

Relation to other concepts: Irregularisak is related to, but distinct from, suppletion and irregular stems. It is also used in discussions of artificial languages and computational modeling to test how systems handle non-regular morphology.