Word Formation and Prefixes Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What type of prefixes are 'de-', 'dis-', and 'un-' classified as?

Affixes for size

Class changing prefixes

Pejorative prefixes

Class maintaining prefixes (correct)

Which prefix indicates a reversal of action?

un-

mis-

dis- (correct)

What does the prefix 'hyper-' imply?

Badly or improperly

Inferior to

Excessive or above normal (correct)

False

Which of the following is NOT a negative prefix?

mis- Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the prefix 'be-'?

To form transitive verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which suffix is used to form nouns from adjectives?

-ness Signup and view all the answers

What is a valid example of a compound noun?

cleaning lady Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is formed using the -ize verb-forming suffix?

amplify Signup and view all the answers

Which option represents a valid adjective formed from a noun?

active Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following suffixes is used to form adjectives from verbs?

-able Signup and view all the answers

Identify the compound verb from the following options.

to globe-trot Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following options is NOT a verb-forming suffix?

-ous Signup and view all the answers

What suffix can be used to form nouns indicating a state or quality from adjectives?

-ity Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'ultra-' convey in words like 'ultramodern'?

Excessive Signup and view all the answers

Which suffix is used to denote feminine roles, as in 'actress'?

-ette Signup and view all the answers

What is the meaning of the prefix 'inter-' in terms like 'international'?

Between Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a noun-forming suffix indicating action derived from a verb?

-ation Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'post-' indicate in words such as 'postpone'?

After Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following fits a locative prefix meaning 'around' or 'about'?

Circum- Signup and view all the answers

Which suffix indicates a system of governance, as in 'democracy'?

-cy Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'mono-' imply in terms like 'monotheism'?

Single Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the combination of two independent words, such as 'flurry' from 'fly' and 'hurry'?

Blend Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinguishing feature of an acronym compared to an abbreviation?

Acronyms are pronounced as single words. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is an example of reduplication based on internal vowel alternation?

chit-chat Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms is derived from a person's name?

sandwich Signup and view all the answers

What are 'FBI' and 'NATO' examples of?

Alphabetisms Signup and view all the answers

What type of word formation includes terms such as 'ram' and 'rom'?

Acronyms Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term 'grumble'?

A blend Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a word formed by reduplication based on rhyme?

nitty-gritty Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a compound verb formed by zero-derivation from a simple noun?

to butter Signup and view all the answers

What type of clipping is represented by the example 'exam' derived from 'examination'?

Apocope Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of blending as described in the content?

Takes the first part of one word and the last part of another Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes syncope in the context of clipping?

Reduction of the middle part of a word Signup and view all the answers

What is a common way that nominal zero-derivation is formed?

From verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a form of zero-derivation listed in the content?

Adverbial zero-derivation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is correctly derived from an adjective through zero-derivation?

final - finals Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a compound noun from which zero-derivation is formed?

sandpaper Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Word-Formation Rules

Affixation uses prefixes and suffixes with roots/stems to form new words.
Prefixes alter the meaning of words.
Prefixes can alter word class (e.g. from adjective to verb).
Other prefixes: de- (remove), dis- (opposite), un- (opposite).

Prefixes

Class Changing: Change the part of speech (e.g. a-, be-, en-).
Negative: Indicate the opposite meaning (e.g. un-, in-, non-).
Reversative: Indicate the opposite action (e.g. de-).
Pejorative: Indicate a negative or unfavourable meaning (e.g. mis-, mal-).
Degree/size: Indicate degree or scale (e.g. hyper-, hypo-, macro-, micro-, out-, over-, super-, ultra-).
Attitude: Indicate attitude or opinion (e.g. anti-, pro-, co-, counter-).
Locative: Indicate location or position (e.g. cata-, circum-, inter-, super-, trans-, sub-).
Time and order: Indicate time or sequence (e.g. ante-, fore-, pre-, post-, re-, prim-, proto-*).
Number: Indicate quantity or number (e.g. ambi-, bi/di-, mono-, uni-).

Suffixes

Noun-forming: Create nouns from existing words.
Occupational: Indicate a profession or job (e.g. -eer, -ist).
Diminutive/female: Indicate small size or femaleness (e.g. -ette, -ess, -let).
Status/domain: Indicate status or area of activity (e.g. -cracy, -dom, -ery, -hood, -ship).
Nouns from nouns.
Nouns from verbs: Form nouns from verbs (e.g. -ation, -al, -ant, -er, -ing, -ment, -ure).
Nouns from adjectives: Form nouns from adjectives (e.g. -cy, -ity, -ness, -th).

Compound Nouns

Combine two or more words to create a new noun.
Examples: bee sting, cleaning lady, demolitions squad.

Compound Verbs

Combines two (or more) words to create a new verb.
Examples created through back-formation: to globe-trot, to brainwash.
Examples formed by zero-derivation: to court-martial, to hand-cuff

Conversion (Zero Derivation)

Changes the part of speech without adding a suffix or prefix.
Examples changing nouns to verbs: asphalt - to asphalt, butter - to butter.
Examples changing compound nouns to verbs: sandpaper - to sandpaper, handcuff to handcuff.
Examples changing adjectives to verbs: dirty to dirty, calm to calm.

Clipping/Contraction

Shortens words without changing their meaning or function
Different types of clipping (aphaeresis, syncope, apocope).
Examples: advertisement - advert (or ad), examination - exam.

Blending

Combines parts of two words to form a new word.
Examples: flurry, grumble, cablegram, sportscast, Amerind, Velcro.

Abbreviations/Acronyms

Shorten phrases/words
Some can be pronounced as words, other as letters.
Examples: VHS, PC, EMT, AIDS, LEM, FOBS, and technical terms for computers such as RAM and ROM

Reduplication

Repeats elements to create a new word.
Two types: internal vowel alternations, and rhyming
Examples: chit-chat, drip-drop, boogie-woogie, willy-nilly.

Eponyms

Words derived from proper names (people or places).
Examples: macadam, mackintosh, guy, bobby, boycott, lynch, sandwich.

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Description

Test your knowledge on word-formation rules and the various types of prefixes. This quiz covers how affixation can change meanings and classes of words through specific prefixes. Dive into the world of linguistics and enhance your understanding of language structure!