An affix is a bound morpheme that is joined before, after, or within a root or stem.
An affix is joined by derivation or inflection.
Kinds of Affixes
Here is a table showing some kinds of affixes with examples:
|
Affix |
Relationship to root or stem |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
prefix |
Occurs in the front of a root or stem |
unhappy |
|
suffix |
Occurs at the end of a root or stem |
happiness |
|
infix |
Occurs inside of a root or stem |
bumili 'buy' (Tagalog, Philippines) |
|
circumfix |
Occurs in two parts on both outer edges of a root or stem |
kabaddangan 'help' (Tuwali Ifugao, Philippines) |
|
simulfix |
Replaces one or more phonemes in the root or stem |
man + plural > men |
|
suprafix |
Superimposed on one or more syllables in the root or stem as a suprasegmental |
stress in the words 'produce, n. and pro'duce, v. |
This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library. Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003.