4.2 Affixes
Specific group of roots can be called affixes. These roots are mostly used
with some other roots in composites. However, they can form words also alone,
just by adding an ending. This case is not so common as using them in composites
and not all theoretically possible forms of using affixes as roots can be found
in a real text.
Affixes can be classified into two groups: affixoids (more
like a classical root) and true affixes.
The difference between real suffixes
and classical roots together with suffixoids is following – when two roots
are put together to form a composite, the first root modifies (is a determiner)
the meaning of the second (main)
root:
dormo|ĉambro –
room for
sleeping –
ĉambro –
room is modified by
dormi –
to
sleep (o after the root dorm is inserted for better pronunciation –
see chapter
4.3)
In the case
of suffixes, the determination is done in opposite
direction:
dorm|egi –
to sleep
deeply –
dormi –
to
sleep is modified by the word
ega –
big.
The distinction between Esperanto prefixes and roots is not so
obvious. The prefixes are always determining the following root. The result of
such a determination can be a
modification:
dis|iri –
to go in
different direction – the verb
iri
–
go is modified by prefix
dis.Or a totally different
meaning:
mal|bona –
bad, the
meaning of the word
bona –
good is
negated by the prefix
mal.
Another
difference is that at least about some true suffixes
(
aĉ,
eg,
et and
um), it
is possible to say that they do not have inherent category and are transparent
according to the category of the stem they are assigned to.
The distinction
between classical roots and true affixes is not clear and depends mostly on a
tradition. Different theories put the frontier between roots (and affixoids) and
true affixes in a different point. PAG uses following distinction:
bo,
eks,
ge,
mal and
pra are called true prefixes and
aĉ,
eg,
et,
um, nj and
ĉj are called true suffixes.
For my application, the division
between classical roots, affixoids and affixes is not important. It will be
driven mostly by practical needs – ffixes are more often used in word
building then the rest of roots, so it is good to spend more time with them. A
mistake made in rules for an affixoid would produce more errors when analyzing a
real text, than a mistake made in rules for an ordinary root.
I will put
apart suffixes (
aĉ,
eg, et and
um), because their transparency to the inherent
category of the stem and because of different direction of modification of the
meaning in composites. I will make no distinction between prefixoids and
prefixes.
There are two purposes of this chapter. The first purpose is to
prepare direct background for the implementation (prefixes
pra and
bo,
suffixes
io,
ujo, etc). The second purpose is to show how
flexible is the Esperanto word building, to show that it is hard to say that
something is impossible. For this reason, the paragraph “Used as a
root:” is added. Therefore some important affixes are described in
separate chapter, to some is devoted only few lines.
4.2.1 True
suffixes
4.2.1.1 Aĉ
The suffix
aĉ gives to the stem
shading of contempt or disgrace,
detestation.
ĉevalo –
horse ◊
ĉevalaĉo –
nagdomo –
house
◊
domaĉo –
hovehundo –
dog
◊
hundaĉo –
curparoli –
speak◊
parolaĉi –
tittle-tattle, twaddleSee also and
mis- in chapter
4.2.3.5.
Used as a
root:
aĉa –
useless, ugly,
aĉaĵ(ar)o –
junk,
lumber, aĉigi –
disgust, make
something terrible, aĉulo –
ugly fellow, aĉularo –
mob, rabble
4.2.1.2 Eg
The suffix eg augments or strengthens the
idea shown by the root.
urbo –
town ◊
urbego – big town,
city
domo – house
◊ domego
– big house, mansion
varma
– hot ◊
varmega – very hot, boiling
hot
necesa – necessary
◊ necesega
– absolutely necessary
tre
– very ◊
treege –
extremely
ridi – laugh
◊ ridegi
– cachinnate, guffaw
Used as a
root:
ega – enormous
4.2.1.3 Et
The suffix
et is used to form
diminutives.
urbo –
town
◊ urbeto
–
small towndomo –
house ◊
dometo –
big house,
cottagevarma –
hot
◊ varmeto
–
warm This suffix can be also used with the names of persons
(or family members) to make intimate forms (see also suffixes
ĉj,
nj:
4.2.2.5)
Paŭlo
–
Paul ◊
Paŭleto –
Paul, my
bonniepatro –
father
◊ patreto
–
dadUsed as a
root:
eta –
tiny,
etulo –
small child,
etulino –
small girl,
etaĵo –
small thing,
etigi –
to diminish
4.2.1.4 Um
The suffix um has not defined meaning. It
just somehow modifies the meaning of the root. The meaning of the resulting word
is hard to decode from the knowledge of the root – the only definite thing
is that, they have something in
common.
vento – wind
◊ ventumi
– to ventilate
kolo –
neck ◊
kolumo –
collar
akvo – water
◊ akvumi
– to water, to irrigate, to sprinkle water
on
plena – full
◊ plenumi
– to fulfill
Used as a
root:
umo – doohickey,
umi – to do something (If you can
not find the right word)
4.2.2 Suffixoids
4.2.2.1 Igi
Verbs created by the suffix ig mean:
“to cause, to do something, to be in the state of the stem”.
Intransitive verbs are changed into transitive. Verbs with this suffix are often
told to be in factitive voice. The suffix ig is
very often.
blanka – white
◊ blankigi
– to make something white,
whitewash
dormi – sleep
◊ dormigi
– put to sleep
If the suffix is followed by the noun ending the
result is the name of the action (pura
– clean, purigi – to clean,
purigo – cleaning). If
the suffix is followed by an adjective ending the result is adjective with
meaning doing, able to do or relating to something.
(puriga – purifying, able to clean,
cleaning).
The verb igi means to
cause.
4.2.2.2 Iĝi
Verbs created by the suffix iĝ mean:
“to become, to turn into”. Transitive verbs are changed into
intransitive. Verbs with this suffix are often told to be in mediopassive voice.
The suffix iĝ is also very
often.
ruĝa – red
◊
ruĝiĝi – to become
red
naski – to born
◊
naskiĝi – to be born
It is
possible to form add noun ending (name of the action). Adjectival and adverbial
endings are possible, but latter not very often.
The verb
iĝi means to become.
4.2.2.3 Ado
The suffix ad emphasizes the process. With
the noun ending, it means the name of the action, with the verbal ending, it
means repetition or long lasting of the process. For verbal roots, it has the
same meaning as adding simple noun
ending.
martelo – hammer
◊ martelado
– hammering, marteladi –
use hammer often
iri –
go ◊
ir(ad)o = the act of going,
iradi – to be going for some
time
Used as a root:
ada –
continual
4.2.2.4 Eco
Suffix ec means quality. The best English
counterpart is a suffix -ness. For adjectival roots, it has the same
meaning as adding simple noun
ending.
riĉa – rich
◊
riĉ(ec)o –
richness
konfuzita –
confused ◊
konfuziteco –
confusedness
Used as a
root:
eco – quality,
characteristic, ece – in a
characteristic way, eca – having
the character, ecaro =
karaktero – character (sum of
qualities)
4.2.2.5 Ĉj,
Nj
The suffixes
ĉj (for males) and
nj (for females) make from the root an intimate
form. The root can be shortened – the suffix is attached after one of the
first five letters.
Johanno –
Jack ◊
Joĉjo –
JackJohana –
Joan
◊ Jonjo
–
Joaniepatro –
father ◊
paĉjo –
dad,
panjo –
mumfilo –
son
◊
fiĉjo –
little
son, finjo –
little
daughterfrato –
brother
◊
fraĉjo –
little
brother, franjo –
little
sisteramiko –
friend
◊
amiĉjo –
dear friend
(he)
, aminjo –
dear
friend (she)
These suffixes are now not very often used (except few
words like
paĉjo,
panjo) and are very often replaced by suffix
et (see
4.2.1.3) or by national intimate
forms (
Johnny,
Dick,
Saŝa).
4.2.2.6 Other
suffixoids
Aĵo
The suffix aĵo
forms a concrete, perceivable manifestation of the
root.
nova – new
◊
novaĵo – new thing,
novelty
fotografi – to take
photographs ◊
fotografaĵo –
photography
Used as a
root:
aĵo – a
think
Ano
The suffix ano forms a
member, participant, resident.
klubo –
club ◊
klubano – member of the
club
Budho – Buddha
◊ budhano
– Buddhist (see also isto)
Used
as a root:
ano – a member of a
club, society, ani – to be a
member, anigi – to make somebody a
member of something, aniĝi –
to become a member, aneco –
membership, aniĝilo –
application form, etc.
Aro
The suffix aro adds to the
root the meaning of a collection.
arbo
– tree ◊
arbaro –
forest
homo – man
◊ homaro
– mankind (≠ aro da homoj
– group of people)
Used as a
root:
aro – group,
ara (adj.),
are (adv.) – in groups,
grandare – in big groups,
ari – to be in group,
ariĝi – to group oneself,
arigi – to group
somebody
Ejo
The suffix ejo means place
where something is performed or where something is kept, a building,
etc.
lerni – to learn
◊ lernejo
– place for learning,
school
preĝi – to pray
◊
preĝejo – a church, musk, etc
(kirko =
church)
ministro –
minister ◊
ministrejo – department
Used as
a root:
ejo – place
Ero
The suffix ero means an
element of the thing expressed by the root. Not nominal stems are automatically
nominalized (as if suffix aĵo were
added).
pano – bread
◊ panero
– a crumb of a bread
neĝo
– snow ◊
neĝero – snow
flake
kudri – to sew
◊ kudrero
– a stitch
Used as a
root:
ero – element, grain,
ereto – small element,
grandera – coarse-grained,
diseriĝi – to disintegrate
(intransitive), diserigi – to cause to
disintegrate
Estro
The boss of the thing expressed by the stem.
ŝipo – ship
◊
ŝipestro –
captain
urbo – town
◊ urbestro
– mayor
The boss of some group of people can be expressed also
by prefixing the root ĉefo –
chief.
Used as a root:
estro
– boss, estri – to
direct, estraro – board of
directors
Ido
The suffix id forms an
offspring, young creature, etc.
hundo
– dog ◊
hundido –
puppy
planto – plant
◊ plantido
– small plant
latina –
Latin ◊
latinida lingvoj – languages with the
Latin origin
Used as a root:
ido
– offspring, ideto –
small young, idaro – all
descendants
Ilo
The suffix il means a tool
for doing whatever is expressed by the preceding
root.
tranĉi – to cut
◊
tranĉilo – tool for cutting, a
knife
komputi – to compute
◊ computilo
– a computer
butero –
butter ◊
buteri – to butter
◊ buterilo
– knife for buttering
linio
– line ◊
linii – to line
◊ liniilo
◊ ruler
Used as a
root:
ilo – instrument,
ilaro – set of tools,
ilujo – box for tools,
ilejo – workshop
Ino
The suffix in means a
female.
patro – father
◊ patrino
– mother
bovo –
cow ◊
bovino – she-cow
Esperanto is a
sexist language. Most of roots with meaning of human beings are of the male sex.
Today more and more of them are considered neutral. Especially professional
titles are neutral. The male equivalent of this suffix is a prefix
vir-, it can be added to roots which sex is
neutral.
kato – cat
◊ virkatino
– tomcat
Ingo
The suffix ingo has a
meaning of a holder for the thing described by
root.
kandelo – candle
◊
kandelingo – candle-holder
Used
as a root:
ingo – holder, mostly
sheath, ingi =
eningig – to put into the holder,
sheath, malingi =
elingigi – to put out of the holder,
unsheathe
Ismo
The suffix ismo has a
meaning of a doctrine, movement, system,
etc.
Budho
◊ budhismo,
Markso ◊
marksismo
ĵurnalo
– newspaper ◊
ĵurnalismo –
journalism
Used as a root: ism
– movement, doctrine
isto
The suffix isto has a
meaning of an individual professionally occupied with something, somebody who is
used to do something. The suffix can be also used as equivalent for two suffixes
ist|ano. This is not used if the
ismo is added to the member of the movement,
etc. (krist|ano – Christian
◊
kristanismo –
Christianity).
labori –
to work ◊
laboristo – a
worker
lingvo – language
◊ lingvisto
– linguist
Budho
◊ budhisto,
Markso ◊
marksisto
UjoThe suffix
ujo has three
meanings:
1) A container or box for something. This is the main
meaning.
papero –
paper –
paperujo =
paperkesto –
box for
papersalo –
salt
◊ salujo
–
saltcellar, saltshaker2) A tree having fruit or
flowers specified by stem. This meaning of the suffix is rather archaic, today
it is replaced by forming a composite with
arbo
–
tree or
arbeto –
small
tree.
pomo –
apple
◊ pomujo =
pomarbo –
apple-tree3) A
country for the nationality expressed by the stem. See chapter
4.3.4
Names of countries.
Italo
–
Italian ◊
Italujo =
Italio –
ItalyWhen the suffix
ujo is used as a root, it has the first meaning
– a box or container.
Ebla
The meaning of suffix ebla
is “suitable for being
done”.
legi – to
read ◊
legebla –
readable
fari – to do
◊ farebla
◊ possible to be done
Used as a
root:
ebla – possible, possible to
be done, eble – maybe,
eblo = ebleco
– possibility, eblaĵo –
possible thing, possibility, ebligi
– enable, ebliĝi –
to become possible, malebla –
impossible
Ema
The meaning of the suffix
ema is “to have tendency or
inclination to do the thing described by the
stem.”
labori – to
work ◊
laborema –
industrious
dormi – to
sleep ◊
dormema – sleepy
Used as a
root:
ema – inclining,
emo – inclination,
emi – incline,
emiĝi – to become inclining,
emigi – to cause that something is
inclining
Enda
The meaning of the suffix
enda is “it must be done the thing
described by the stem”
skribi
– to write ◊
skribenda – that must be
written
vidi – to see
◊ videnda
– that must be seen
Used as a
root:
enda – mandatory,
endo – necessity,
endi – it is necessary
Inda
The suffix inda has meaning
“worthy -ing”
fari
– to do ◊
farinda – worth
doing
vidi – to see
◊ vidinda
– worth seeing
Used as a
root:
inda – worthy,
indi – to be worthy,
indigi – to make something worthy,
malinda – to be unworthy,
senidulo – unworthy man
4.2.3 Prefixes
4.2.3.1 Bo
Bo marks relative by marriage. In English,
the same thing is done by adding
in-law.
bofrato –
brother-in-law, bofilo –
son-in-law, bopatrino –
mother-in-law, bokuzo –
cousin-in-law,
bonevo –
grandson-in-law, etc.The exception is a word for child coming
from the previous marriage(s) of one of the spouse – it is marked by
prefixing
duon[31].
Bo
can be also used in following words:
boparenco –
relatives by
marriagebofamiliano –
member
of the family by marriageboedziĝi
–
to marry with the wife of one’s dead brother (used by
Zamenhof in the translation of
Bible)
boamiko –
jocular way to
call friend of one’s spouseThere is no distinction between
relatives got by one marriage and relatives got by two marriages:
mia bofrato is brother of my spouse or husband
of the sister of my spouse.
If
bo is
together with prefix
ge (see
4.2.3.2),
bo stands before
ge[32]:
bogefratoj –
brothers-in-law and
sisters-in-law.
The prefix as a
root:
boulo =
boparenco –
relative-in-law,
boeco =
boparenteco –
the type relation
between two relatives-in-law, boa –
being of the in-law type of relation
4.2.3.2 Ge
Ge marks both sexes. This prefix is used
before roots of male beings or roots that are neutral from the point of the sex.
geknaboj – boys and girls,
gejunuloj – young people,
youth, geinstruistoj – teachers
of the both sexes
For neutral words, the prefix is very often not
necessary. Words like lernantoj (pupils)
or doktoroj (doctors.) are good enough
for describing beings of both sexes and the prefix
ge is used only for stressing the fact that
people in the group are of both sexes.
The plural after the word with this
preposition is common, but not necessary:
geedzo – spouse,
gepatro – parent.
The
meaning of the prefix can be slightly different, depending on context:
1) A
pair (e.g. of husband and wife): gepatroj
– mother and father, parents,
geonkloj – uncle and aunt,
geedzoj – husband and wife,
geamantoj – lovers.
2)
Members of the same type, but both sexes of a family:
gefiloj – sons and daughters of
the same family.
3) The whole family:
geurbestroj – the family of the
mayor
Prefix ge is also used with
things that do not have sex. In that case, it means that the things are related
with both sexes: gelernando –
coeducation, gelernejo –
coeducational school. However, this usage is quite rare.
As
root:
geo – he and she, pair,
gea – mixed, etc.
(gea lernejo =
gelernejo – coeducational school),
geiĝi =
pariĝi – make pairs from
oneself, geigi =
parigi – to pair
4.2.3.3 Mal
Prefix mal denotes total opposite to the
stem.
malbela – ugly,
malvarma – cold,
malgranda – small,
malrapida – slow,
malami – hate,
malaperi – disappear,
malamiko – enemy,
malantaŭ – behind.
Prefix
mal is very often used. In the beginnings of the language, it was nearly the
only way of finding an opposite for most of the words. Even very common words
(malgranda – small,
malfermi – open,
malnova – old, etc) had to be
expressed using this prefix. Today, some synonyms to the mal- words exist, some
of them are used more and some of them less often:
fini =
malkomenci – finish,
frida = malvarma
– cold, breva =
mallonga – short,
eta = malgranda
– small, dura =
malmola – hard,
cis = maltrans
= on this side (trans –
across), olda =
malnova – old, etc.
As a
root:
malo – opposite (noun),
mala – opposite
(adj.) male – opposite (adv.),
oppositely, malinda –
undesirable, unwelcome, etc.
4.2.3.4 Pra
Prefix pra has following meanings:
1)
With names of relatives, one generation older or younger:
praavo – great-grandfather,
pranepo – great-grandson,
praonklo – great-uncle. The
prefix pra can be even repeated:
prapraavo – great-great-grandfather. For
the father of the father and for the son of the son are words
avo and nepo
– prapatro and
prafilo belong to the second category.
2)
Very distant in time (mostly in the past – ancient or primeval):
praarbaro – primeval forest,
pratempo – primeval ages,
prahistorio – prehistory,
prabesto – primeval animal,
prahomo – primeval human,
prapatro – founder of the family,
of the kin or nation, prafilo –
descendants after many generations.
As a
root:
prae – primevally,
praa – primeval,
praeco –
“primevalness”, praulo =
primeval ancestor, forefather
4.2.3.5 Other
prefixes
Eks
Eks marks something former.
It is mostly used in front of the word with the meaning of some profession or
function.
eksprezidanto
– ex-president,
eksposedanto – former
owner, eksdirektoro –
former director,
eksurbestro – former
mayor, eksedzo –
former husband,
eksedziĝi – to
divorce oneself, eksmoda
– out of the fashion
Eks used
as a root: eksigi – to force somebody
to abdicate, eksiĝi –
abdicate, leave a club, eksa –
quondam, abdicated, eks! –
Eks pri la reĝo! – Away with the
king!
Dis
Prefix dis means separation
in different directions, scattering.
iri
– to go ◊
disiri – to go in different
directions
vojo – way
◊
disvojiĝo –
road-fork
Ek
Prefix ek means the beginning
or ephemerality.
iri – to go
◊ ekiri
– to start to go, to set
out
krii – to shout
◊ ekkrii
– to shout out
Ek can be also
used alone as an interjection: Ek! –
Let’s start!, Ek al
li!M – Let’s catch him. Or as a verb:
eki =
komenciĝi – start
(intransitive), begin, ekigi –
start (transitive)
For
Prefix for means removing,
disappearing, distance, spoiling.
iri
– to go ◊
foriri – to
leave
dormi – to sleep
◊ fordormi
– to spoil time by sleeping
Mis
Prefix mis expresses an
error or incorrectness. In contrary to the suffix
aĉ, this prefix is used in objective
stating.
kalkuli – calculate
◊
miskalkuli –
miscalculate
traduki –
translate ◊
mistraduki –
mistranslate
kompreni –
understand ◊
miskompreni –
misunderstand
Mis used as a
root:
misa – incorrect,
erroneous, misi – to
err
Re
Prefix re means returning or
repetition.
veni – to come
◊ reveni
– to come back, to return
(intransitive)
meti – to place
◊ remeti
– to put back, to return
(transitive)
legi – read
◊ relegi
– read again
Re can be used
alone in ree – again,
reen – back,
rea – adjective from
ree or
reen.
4.2.4 Unofficial
affixes
There are also many unofficial affixes. I list only the most often
ones:
-iva – capable of doing
something
produkti –
product ◊
produktiva –
productive
-eska – similar
to, or in the manner of
japano
– a Japanese ◊
japaneska –
Japanesque
-ala – is used to
derive adjectives from nouns derived from
adjectives
varma – hot
◊ varmo
– heat ◊
varmala –
thermal
-oida – resembling;
having the appearance of; related to, mostly
technical
antropo – human
◊
antropoido –
anthropoid
-oza – full
of
poro – pore
◊ poroza
– porous
-iza – to
apply something (thing or method) to an
object
salo – salt
◊ salizi ion
– add salt to
something
retro- – in the
opposite direction
iri – go
◊ retroiri
– to go in opposite direction
There is also large amount of
affixes used in some special field – in chemistry
(-oza –
feroza – ferous,
-ika –
sulfika – sulfuric, etc), in
botany, medicine (-ozo –
sklerozo – sclerosis,
-ito –
dermatito – dermatitis) and so
on.
4.2.5 Pseudoaffixes
Some of the unofficial affixes are partly so called pseudoaffixes. They are
mostly affixes in the languages the Esperanto vocabulary comes from.
Many of
Esperanto roots are composites in the language they come from. Therefore, some
roots start or finish with the same sequence of characters. These sequences look
as an affix. However, the rest of such a word is very often not an Esperanto
word. On the other hand, sometime new words are created connecting these
sequences with Esperanto roots. These elements are called pseudoaffixes
(pseŭdoafiksoj).
Typical example is a
pseudosuffix logio:
ornitologio – ornithology,
zoologio – zoology, etc. However,
there are also words metodologio –
methodology (metodo –
method), antropologio –
anthropology (antropo –
human). And there are also purely Esperanto words:
esperantologio – science about
Esperanto, birdologio –
ornithology, formologio –
morphology, etc. In these words is a suffix
ologio.
Another pseudosuffixes are
iko (poeto
– poet ◊
poetiko – poetics,
stilisto – stylist
◊
stilistiko – stylistics),
acio, icio
(delegacio – delegation,
operacio – operation,
pozicio – position, etc) and
many others.
There are also pseudoprefixes:
aŭto
(autobiografio – autobiography,
aŭtomobilo – car,
aŭtonomio – autonomy,
aŭtokrato – autocrat),
anti
(antikristo,
antisemito),
eŭ
(eŭfemismo – euphemism,
eŭgeniko – eugenics) and
others.
Most of these words are treated as separate roots in Esperanto. Some
of them can be considered as unofficial affixes
(ologio, iko).
In contrary to classical affixes, these cannot be used systematically (sometimes
is ok ologio, sometimes
iko).
[31] See chapter
3.7.2.6 -
Fractions.
[32]
This is opinion of the PAG (§417). PMEG
(
bo) is not so strict, it states that the order
of the
bo and
ge does not matter, and that it is only a habit
to put
ge first.