INFIXATION Meaning and
Definition
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Infixation is a linguistic phenomenon that involves the insertion of affixes within the root or base of a word. Unlike prefixation and suffixation, which add affixes at the beginning or end of a word respectively, infixation occurs within the word's morphological structure. This process often contributes to changes in word meaning or grammatical function.
Infixation typically represents a morphological alteration in languages that employ such structures. One example is Tagalog, where infixes are frequently used to denote verb tense and aspect. For instance, the verb "bili" (buy) can be transformed into "bibilhan" (will be bought) through the insertion of the infix "-in-".
This infixation process is not as widely observed in languages compared to other forms of affixation, and it is more common in certain language families such as Austronesian and Bantu. In addition, infixes can be phonologically and morphologically complex, requiring specific patterns of insertion depending on the root word's sound structure. These complexities contribute to the richness and diversity of language systems.
Furthermore, infixation often adds emphasis, intensification, or emotional connotation to the word. In English, a form of infixation known as tmesis is used for such purposes. For example, "abso-bloomin'-lutely" employs the infix "-bloomin'-" to intensify the word "absolutely" in a playful and informal manner.
In summary, infixation is a morphological process that involves inserting affixes within a word's root or base. Through this mechanism, new meanings, grammatical functions, and emphases can be achieved, contributing to the complexity and versatility of language.
Common Misspellings for INFIXATION
- unfixation
- jnfixation
- knfixation
- onfixation
- 9nfixation
- 8nfixation
- ibfixation
- imfixation
- ijfixation
- ihfixation
- indixation
- incixation
- invixation
- ingixation
- intixation
- inrixation
- infuxation
- infjxation
- infkxation
- infoxation
Etymology of INFIXATION
The word "infixation" is derived from the combination of two words: "infix" and the suffix "-ation".
The term "infix" comes from Latin "infixus", which means "impressed" or "fixed in". In linguistics, an infix is a morpheme that is inserted within a word to create a new meaning or grammatical form. Infixes are different from prefixes, which are added at the beginning of a word, and suffixes, which are added at the end.
The suffix "-ation" comes from Latin "-atio" and forms nouns from verbs, indicating the action or process of the verb. It is commonly used to denote an act, state, or result.
Thus, "infixation" combines the idea of something being inserted or fixed within a word (infix) with the concept of an action or process (represented by "-ation").
