Un sufix és una lletra o un grup de lletres que s’afegeixen al final d’una paraula per a formar una nova paraula o per a canviar la funció gramatical de la paraula. Per exemple, en els sufixos en anglès, el verb dance es converteix en nom en afegir el sufix -er (dancer). De la mateixa forma, dance es pot convertir en adjectiu afegint el sufix –able (danceable).
Hi ha dues classes de sufixos en anglès:
- Inflectional (gramaticalment): per exemple, canviant de singular a plural (dog / dogs) o canviant de temps present a passat (walk/ walked). En aquest cas, el significat bàsic de la paraula no varia.
- Derivational. Afegint el sufix el significat de la forma original canvia. (Teach / Teacher = Ensenyar).
Ara mirarem detalladament cada tipus de sufix en anglès.
INFLECTIONAL SUFFIXES
Com hem dit abans, en aquests casos no es canvia el significat original de la paraula. Hi ha molt pocs tipus, però són molt freqüents.
| Suffix | Grammatical change | Original word | Suffixed word |
|---|---|---|---|
| -s
-es -ies |
plural | Dog
Bus Berry |
Dogs
Buses Berries |
| -en | plural (irregular) | Ox | Oxen |
| -s | 3rd person singular present | Like | He likes |
| -ed | past tense & past participle | work | He worked
He has worked |
| -en | past participle (irregular) | Eat | He has eaten |
| -ing | continuous / progressive | Sleep | He is sleeping |
| -er | comparative | Big | Bigger |
| -est | superlative | Big | The biggest |
| -n’t | negative contraction | Do | Don’t |
DERIVATIONAL SUFFIXES
En aquest cas, afegint un sufix en anglès el significat varia, encara que aquest canvi de significat està relacionat amb l’antic significat. Podem afegir més d’un sufix, per exemple:
derive (verb) + ation → derivation (noun) + al → derivational (adjective)
Hi ha diversos centenars de sufixos derivats, et presentem alguns dels més comuns dividits en quatre blocs: noms, adjectius, adverbis i verbs.
NOUN SUFFIXES
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -acy | state or quality | privacy, fallacy, delicacy |
| -age | action, state, process | marriage, package, baggage, passage |
| -al | act or process of | arrival, refusal, recital |
| -ance,
-ence |
state or quality of | maintenance, eminence, assistance |
| -dom | place or state of being | freedom, kingdom, boredom |
| -eer | engaged in something, associated with something | volunteer, engineer, mountaineer |
| -er,
-or |
one or thing who/that performs the action of the verb | teacher, narrator, investigator |
| -ery | a business or trade, a behavior, a condition | robbery, bribery, bakery |
| -hood | family terms | parenthood, motherhood, childhood |
| -ion | the action or process of | celebration, opinion, decision |
| -ism | doctrine, belief | communism, narcissism, scepticism |
| -ist | a person who practises | chemist, physicist, violinist |
| -ity,
-ty |
quality of | ability, equality, probability |
| -ment | condition of | development, encouragement, argument |
| -ness | state of being | sadness, awareness, kindness |
| -tion,
-sion |
state of being | alteration, depression, tension |
| -ship | position held | friendship, partnership, membership |
| -th | state or quality | strength, warmth, growth |
| -ty | condition | difficulty, cruelty, loyalty |
| -ure | action or the resulting state | failure, pressure, departure |
ADJECTIVAL SUFFIXES
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -able,
-ible |
capable of being | adaptable, incredible, predictable |
| -al | having the form or character of | emotional, natural, accidental |
| -ant | inclined to or tending to | vigilant, brilliant, reliant |
| -ary | of or relating to | military, dietary, momentary |
| -esque | in a manner of or resembling | picturesque, statuesque, burlesque |
| -ful | notable for, full of | grateful, beautiful, wonderful |
| -ic, -ical | pertaining to | musical, iconic, organic |
| -ious,
-ous |
characterised by | humorous, fabulous, jealous |
| -ish | having the quality of | childish, snobbish, sheepish |
| -ive | having the nature of | expensive, expressive, attentive |
| -less | without | endless, fearless, homeless |
| -like | like | childlike, lifelike, ladylike |
| -ly | having the qualities of, recurring at intervals of | brotherly, hourly |
| -y | characterised by | nerdy, fruity, tasty |
ADVERB SUFFIXES
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ly | in what manner something is being done | bravely, simply, lately |
| -ward | in relation to direction in space o time | backward, awkward, afterward |
| -wise | in the manner of direction of / referring to or speaking of | clockwise, lengthwise, otherwise, likewise |
VERB SUFFIXES
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -ate | become | accommodate, considerate, cooperate |
| -en | become | strengthen, awaken, shorten |
| -ify, -fy | make or become | classify, clarify, simplify |
| -ise, -ize (US) | become | socialise, finalise, advertise |
Guia ortogràfica per als sufixos en anglès
Regla 1
Afegint un sufixe consonàntic directament a la paraula base.
Wonder + ful = wonderful
Regla 2
Comprova la paraula base abans d’agregar un sufix amb vocal.
Si la paraula base acaba amb dues consonants, simplement afegeix el sufix.
Teach + er = teacher
Si la paraula base té només 1 síl·laba, una única vocal i una consonant final, llavors dobla la consonant final abans d’afegir el sufix.
Big + er = bigger
Si la paraula base acaba amb una E silenciosa, elimina la E abans d’afegir el sufixe amb vocal.
Love + ed = loved
Regla 3
Si la paraula base acaba amb una I, canvia la Y per una I abans d’afegir el sufix.
Heavy + ness = heaviness
Beauty + ful = beautiful
Existeixen més regles però només s’apliquen a un petit nombre de paraules. I com en totes les regles, hi ha excepcions. Si vols continuar ampliant el teu coneixement, no deixis de visitar la nostra notícia referent als prefixos en anglès.