Affixes - Prefix, Infix, Suffix

Affixes

An affix is a morpheme which only occurs when attached to some other morpheme or morphemes such as a root or stem or base. Obviously, by definition affixes are terms are bound morphemes. No word may contain only an affix standing on its own, like –y or –ed or –al or even a number of affixes strung together like –al-s (Katamba, 1993: 44).

There are two types according to function: derivational and inflectional. When a derivational affix is attached to a base it changes the word to another class, that is, it derives another class. An inflectional affix does not change the category of the word. Most affixes in Indonesian are derivational (Sneddon, 1996: 26)

1. Prefix

Prefix is an affix attached before a root or stem or base like re-, un-, and in-. For example: re-make, un-kind, in-decent (Katamba, 1993: 44)

According to Sneddon, in her book is Indonesia Reference Grammar, prefix is:

A prefix is attached before the base. When a prefix is discussed separately it is indicated by a hyphen after it, such as ber-. (Sneddon, 1996:7)

Bauer states that the most general rule that can given for prefixes that they do not bear primary stress and do not affect the stress of derivatives, but there are innumerable exceptions of this. There is, however, frequently a subsidiary stress on a prefix, and always one if the prefix consists of more than one syllable (Bauer, 1983:123)

Here are the examples of prefixes:

1)      Renang + ber: berenang (Sneddon, 1996: 8)

2)      Rusak + per: perusak (Sneddon, 1996: 8)

In example number (1) the word renang is added by prefix ber-.  It changes the function of renang that is from noun to verb. It also happens in example number (2), the word rusak is added by prefix per-. The function also changes, that is from adjective to noun. 

2. Infix

Katamba (1993: 44) states an infix is an affix inserted into the root itself. Infixes are very common in English languages and infixing somewhat rare in English. Infixation is not productive and only a limited number of infixed forms occur. Because of this infixed forms are no longer felt by most people to contain an affix and there are listed separately from their bases in dictionaries. The infixes are –em, -el-, -er-. (Sneddon, 1996: 25)

1)      Gigi + er: gerigi (Sneddon: 1996: 25)

2)      Getar + em: gemetar (Sneddon, 1996: 25)

In example number (1) the word gerigi is derived from the word gigi and infix [–er], and the word gemetar is derived from the word getar and infix [–em] in example number (2).

3. Suffix

Word formation is one of the most complicated problems in study of language. Word formation is a traditional label, and one which is useful, but it does generally cover all possible ways of forming everything that can be called a word in particular. The use of term word formation is of value when the rules for the formation of the word are not identical with the rules for the information of sentence. For the examples, I work hard and I am working hard. (Margono, 1999: 21)

Suffix is for the formation of new words by attaching to nouns, verb and adverbs. New words formed using the suffixes and the old words are often referred to the new words in a language form English. The suffixes are recognized in many languages. In the formation of the new words, the old words to which the suffixes are attached are usually like the prefixes, the suffixes are also in Indonesia. The suffix which is used for the transformation of a new word is often found in written or spoken communication. Similar to a word, the suffix which a used for the formation of a new word may also often translated into a target language.A suffix comes after a base, indicated by hyphen before it, such as: -an, -nya (Sneddon, 1996: 7)

According Katamba in his book is morphology, suffix is an affix which attached after the root, or stem or base like –ly, -er, -ist, -ing, and –ed (Katamba, 1993:44)

  As further seen in the following examples:

1)      Bulan + an: bulanan (Sneddon, 1996: 52)

2)      Hari + an: harian (Sneddon, 1996: 52)

In the first example, the word bulan is added by suffix –an. It changes the function of bulan that is from noun to adverb. It also happens in example number (2), the word hari is added by suffix –an. The function also changes, that is from noun to adverb. 

Credits: Dana