>> ZG·Lingua >  >> Applied Linguistics >> Translation studies

Evidence to prove suffix- able become a native suffix?

It's not accurate to say that "-able" has become a "native suffix" in English. The concept of a suffix being "native" is not a standard linguistic term.

Here's why:

* Origin: "-able" originated from the Latin suffix "-abilis." This means it's ultimately a borrowed suffix, not a native one.

* Evolution: While English has adopted "-able" and integrated it into its word formation processes, it's not like suffixes that originated from Proto-Germanic or Old English roots.

* Productivity: "-able" is highly productive, meaning it is frequently used to create new words. However, this doesn't change its origin.

Evidence of "-able" being a borrowed suffix:

* Directly traceable to Latin: The form and meaning of "-able" are clearly linked to the Latin "-abilis."

* Other suffixes: English has other Latin-derived suffixes, such as "-ible" and "-ive," showing a trend of borrowing from Latin.

Conclusion:

While "-able" is a highly productive suffix in English, it's not a "native" suffix in the strict sense. It originated in Latin and has been adopted into the English language.

Copyright © www.zgghmh.com ZG·Lingua All rights reserved.