Parasynthetic words: definition and examples
Do you want to know what parasynthetic words are? It is a type of word that is formed in our Spanish language and that comes from the union between composition and derivation. We have to take into account that, within the language, there are different mechanisms by which new words are created, such as "basketball" "bakery", "bad mood", etc., are a type of word that have been created by different linguistic mechanisms that allow the extension of meanings.
Thus, parasynthesis is also a language procedure used to create new words that had previously been composed and derived. To better understand this concept, in this lesson from a Teacher we are going to discover the parasynthetic words with their definition and examples that will help you understand this linguistic aspect perfectly.
Index
- What are parasynthetic words
- Examples of parasynthetic verbs
- Examples of parasynthetic adjectives
- Examples of parasynthetic nouns
What are parasynthetic words.
The parasynthetic words are those words that have been formed from the combination of two word formation procedures: composition and derivation. This combination is known as parasynthesis and results in the creation of parasynthetic words.
How can we tell if a word is parasynthetic, derived, or compound? Well, composition creates terms from simple two-word unions (can opener, basket-ball, street-mouth, hard-face, mudguard, windshield-wiper, bad-mood, mid-day).
For its part, the derivation consists of forming new words adding suffixes or prefixes (im-possible, anti-hero, happiness, bakery, journalist).
And finally, parasynthesis is a combination of the two above always at the same time and acting on a word that does not previously exist within the Spanish linguistic system (Orange,motorist, des-expecta-tion, e-steam-ar, between-quote-ar, re-cool-ar, deaf-mud-ez).
Let's look at more examples to better understand what parasynthetic words are!
In this video from a teacher we will show you the differences between derived and parasynthetic words.
Examples of parasynthetic verbs.
Parasynthesis is an especially productive word creation mechanism for verb formation; for example, the term to flood It is a verb that has been formed by parasynthesis, since there is neither * encharc nor * charcar.
Others examples of verbs created by parasynthesis are as follows:
- clear out
- smooth
- a-padrin-ar
- imprison
- to land
- spell out
- behead
- discard
- des-parasit-ar
- tile
- beautify
- paper
- in-love-ar
- lead
- sweeten
- thin
- to get mad
- ennoble
- in-pride-ecer
- get older
- rejuvenate
Examples of parasynthetic adjectives.
Generally, parasynthetic adjectives have as their starting point a noun on which a prefix or suffix is added that modifies the morphological category of the word when converting a noun into an adjective, as seen in the following examples:
- Orange
- childish
- afraid
- birthday boy
- fiend
- decaffeinated
- shameless
- en-riqu-ec-edor
- in-red-ec-gone
- fatty
- intra-muscular
- grumpy
- beggar
Now you know how to differentiate parasynthetic words from compound and derived words!
In this other video we help you learn to recognize parasynthetic words.
Examples of parasynthetic nouns.
Although parasynthesis may seem like a complex word formation process, we use far more parasynthetics than we might imagine. Observe the following terms:
- moon landing
- motorist
- glare
- binding
- release
- eccentricity
- paratrooper
- umbrella stand
- pica-pedr-ero
- reduction
All these words are parasynthetic because prefixes and suffixes are used in their formation, according to the following parameters: Within our linguistic system, the sequence "prefix + lexeme" does not exist (* picapedr, * reduc) nor does "lexeme + prefix" (* cuadernación, * güero).
IMPORTANT: It is important that you bear in mind that in order to determine if a word has been formed by parasynthesis it is necessary that the derivative elements be added at the same time on a word already existing in the language.
Through an example you will understand it better: the word outlaw it is not a parasynthetic since, despite containing the prefix "i-" and the suffix "-izar", it is formed from the adjective "illegal", to which the suffix is subsequently added. However, the word fall in love Yes it is a parasynthetic because, there is neither * love nor * love, like the word fiend, word formed from the noun "soul" with the prefix "des-" and the suffix "-ado" that act simultaneously since there is neither * desalmar nor * almado.
Therefore, what distinguishes parasynthetic words is that both the derivation and the composition act on the same lexeme at the same time, creating a word prefixed and suffixed at the same time. If this is not fulfilled, it is not a question of a parasynthetic but of a word formed by composition or by derivation.
Think of any parasynthetic you know and share it with us!
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