Affixes

The affix, that is a type of morpheme, is generally defined as the smallest indivisible component of the word possessing a meaning of its own.

Meanings of affixes are specific and considerably differ from those of root morphemes. Affixes have widely generalized meanings and refer the concept conveyed by the whole word to a certain category, which is all-embracing,

e.g. noun-forming suffix -er could be roughly defined as designating persons from the object of their occupation or labor:

painter – the one who paints

or from their place of origin:

southerner – the one living in the South.

The adjective-forming suffix –ful has the meaning of "full of", "characterized by“: beautiful, careful; -ish may often mean “simply insufficiency of quality”: greenish – green, but not quite.

There are numerous derived words whose meanings can really be easily deduced from the meanings of their constituent parts. But such cases represent only the first stage of semantic readjustment within derivatives.

The constituent morphemes within derivatives do not always preserve their current meanings and are open to subtle and complicated semantic shifts,

e.g. bookish: (1) given or devoted to reading or study;

(2) more acquainted with books than with real life, i.e. possessing the quality of bookish learning.

There are semantic distinctions of words produced from the same root by means of different affixes. Compare: womanly (used in a complimentary manner about girls and women) – womanish (used to indicate an effeminate man and certainly implies criticism);

starry (resembling stars) – starred (covered or decorated with stars).

There are a few roots in English which have developed a great combining ability in the position of the second element of a word and a very general meaning similar to that of an affix. These are semi-affixes because semantically, functionally, structurally and stylistically they behave more like affixes than like roots, determining the lexical and grammatical class the word belongs to.

· -man: cameraman, seaman

· -land: Scotland, motherland

· -like: ladylike, flowerlike

· -worthy: trustworthy, praiseworthy

· -proof: waterproof, bulletproof