prefikssammenstilling

Prefikssammenstilling is a linguistic phenomenon found in some languages, particularly in Germanic languages like Norwegian and Swedish. It refers to the formation of a new word by combining a prefix with another word, often a noun or an adjective, where the prefix itself carries a distinct meaning and modifies the base word's meaning. This differs from a simple prefixation, where the prefix might be more grammatical or less semantically independent.

In prefikssammenstilling, the prefix often retains a significant part of its original meaning, acting almost like a separate word within the compound. For example, in Norwegian, words like "etterlysning" (after-search, meaning a public search for a person) or "gjenopprette" (again-up-hold, meaning to restore) demonstrate this principle. The prefix "etter" (after) clearly modifies the meaning of "lysning" (search), and "gjenopp" (again/back) intensifies the meaning of "rette" (to hold/restore).

The line between prefikssammenstilling and other forms of word formation can sometimes be blurry. However, the key characteristic is the semantic contribution and relative independence of the prefix's meaning within the resulting compound. This process allows for the creation of nuanced meanings and expands the vocabulary of a language by building upon existing words. It is a productive way to form new lexical items with specific semantic shades.