: Adding affixes (prefixes/suffixes) to change meaning or category. Compounding : Combining two or more bases (e.g., sunset ).
Research origins through the 19th century and structuralism. Distinguishing word-formation from inflectional morphology . Structure & Logic Productivity (how often a rule is used) and lexicalization . Psycholinguistics How the human brain processes and stores complex words. Nominalizations Study of nouns formed from verbs (e.g., -ing suffixes). Key Concepts for Study Handbook of Word-Formation
: Rules governing word competition and selection. Key Processes Analyzed : : Adding affixes (prefixes/suffixes) to change meaning or
: Changing a word's class without adding affixes (e.g., to butter from butter ). Detailed Chapter Breakdown Distinguishing word-formation from inflectional morphology
: How children master compounding and derivation order.
The book is structured into thematic sections that address specific linguistic debates. Section Focus Key Topics Included
: The idea that syntax cannot "see" inside words.