ttelysuffix

ttelysuffix is a hypothetical derivational suffix used in linguistic morphology to illustrate how affixation can operate in typology and in constructed languages. In the theoretical literature, ttelysuffix attaches to stems of certain word classes to form verbs that denote a transformation or process related to the stem’s meaning. The suffix is discussed as a productive tool in experimental grammars, helping researchers compare how a single affix can express movement into a state or the making of something from a base concept.

Morphology and function. ttelysuffix is treated as a bound morpheme that typically follows the stem. In noted analyses, there are two productive subtypes: (1) noun-to-verb formation, indicating production or application related to the noun’s referent, and (2) adjective-to-verb formation, indicating a change of state or a process toward the quality described by the adjective. Phonological realization varies by language, with common allomorphy described as a shorter form after certain consonant-ending stems and a lengthier form after vowel-ending stems. Some accounts describe mild phonotactic adjustments at the junction to preserve ease of pronunciation.

Illustrative examples. In a representative constructed language, the noun root luma meaning “light” plus ttelysuffix yields lumetely, glossed as “to emit light” or “to illuminate.” An adjective root bright meaning “bright” plus ttelysuffix yields brightetely, glossed as “to become bright” or “to brighten.” These examples show how a single suffix can encode both transformation from a noun and a state change from an adjective, depending on the stem.

History and usage. The term ttelysuffix was introduced in theoretical discussions of morphology to demonstrate cross-linguistic affixation patterns and to assist in comparing how suffixes can express transformation across word classes. It remains primarily a theoretical construct used in linguistics and in some conlang studies.