is that branch of Lexicology which studies the derivative structure of existing words and the patterns on which the English language, builds new words.
word-formation can deal only with words which are analysable both structurally and semantically, i.e. with all types of Complexes.
Word-formation may be studied:
Synchronically – investigation of the existing system of the types of word-formation. The derived word is regarded as having a more complex structure than its correlated word regardless of the fact whether it was derived from a simpler base or a more complex base;
Diachronically – chronological order of formation of one word from some other word that is relevant.
Affixation is the formation of words by adding derivational affixes to different types of bases.
An affix is not-root or a bound morpheme that modifies the meaning and / or syntactic category of the stem in some way.
Affixes are classified into prefixes and suffixes.
Degrees of Derivation
Zero - degree of derivation is ascribed to simple words, i.e. words whose stem is homonymous with a word-form and often with a root-morpheme, e.g. atom, haste, devote, anxious, horror, etc.
First - derived words whose bases are built on simple stems and thus are formed by the application of one derivational affix, e.g. atomic, hasty, devotion, etc.
Distinction is naturally made between prefixal and suffixal derivatives according to the last stage of derivation, which determines the nature of the ICs of the pattern that signals the relationship of the derived word with its motivating source unit, cf.
