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m confixes are different from circumfixes, they corresond to neoclassifcal roots and do not attach around a stem.
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A '''circumfix''' is an [[affix]], a [[morpheme]] that is placed around another morpheme. Circumfixes (occasionally called ''confixes'') contrast with [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]]es, attached to the beginnings of words; [[Affix|suffixes]], that are attached at the end; and [[infix]]es, inserted in the middle. See also [[epenthesis]]. Circumfixes are extremely common in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Bahasa Melayu|Malay]]<ref>{{Citation
A '''circumfix''' is an [[affix]], a [[morpheme]] that is placed around another morpheme. Circumfixes contrast with [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]]es, attached to the beginnings of words; [[Affix|suffixes]], that are attached at the end; and [[infix]]es, inserted in the middle. See also [[epenthesis]]. Circumfixes are extremely common in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Bahasa Melayu|Malay]]<ref>{{Citation
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In most North African and some Levantine [[varieties of Arabic]], verbs are negated by placing the circumfix ''ma- -š'' around the verb together with all its prefixes and suffixed direct- and indirect-object pronouns. For example, [[Egyptian Arabic|Egyptian]] ''bitgibuhum-laha'' ("You bring them to her") is negated as ''ma-bitgibuhum-lahāš'' ("You don't bring them to her").
In most North African and some Levantine [[varieties of Arabic]], verbs are negated by placing the circumfix ''ma- -š'' around the verb together with all its prefixes and suffixed direct- and indirect-object pronouns. For example, [[Egyptian Arabic|Egyptian]] ''bitgibuhum-laha'' ("You bring them to her") is negated as ''ma-bitgibuhum-lahāš'' ("You don't bring them to her").


In [[Berber languages]] the feminine is marked with the circumfix ''t- -t''. The word ''afus'' (hand) becomes '''''t'''afus'''t'''''. In [[Kabyle language|Kabyle]], '''''θ'''issli'''θ''''' "bride" derives from ''issli'' "groom". From bni, to build, with t--t (2nd pers sg confix) we obtain tbnit, thou buildest.
In [[Berber languages]] the feminine is marked with the circumfix ''t- -t''. The word ''afus'' (hand) becomes '''''t'''afus'''t'''''. In [[Kabyle language|Kabyle]], '''''θ'''issli'''θ''''' "bride" derives from ''issli'' "groom". From bni, to build, with t--t we obtain tbnit, thou buildest.


In [[Hebrew (language)|Hebrew]], ''magdelet'' "magnifier", for example, the root is ''gdl'' "big" (in the H-stem ''hagdel'' "to enlarge") and the circumfix is ''m- -et''.
In [[Hebrew (language)|Hebrew]], ''magdelet'' "magnifier", for example, the root is ''gdl'' "big" (in the H-stem ''hagdel'' "to enlarge") and the circumfix is ''m- -et''.

Revision as of 06:24, 7 February 2013

A circumfix is an affix, a morpheme that is placed around another morpheme. Circumfixes contrast with prefixes, attached to the beginnings of words; suffixes, that are attached at the end; and infixes, inserted in the middle. See also epenthesis. Circumfixes are extremely common in Indonesian, Malay[1] and Georgian.[2]

Examples

Germanic languages

The circumfix is probably most widely known from the German past participle (ge- -t for regular verbs). The verb spielen, for example, has the participle gespielt. Dutch has a similar system (spelengespeeld in this case).

East Asian languages

In Japanese, some linguists consider o- -ni naru and o- -suru to be honorific circumfixes;[3] for example yomuo-yomi ni naru (respectful), o-yomi suru (humble).

Austronesian languages

Indonesian and Malay have eight different circumfixes, namely per- -kan, per- -i, ber- -an, ke- -an, pen- -an, per- -an, se- -nya and ke- -i. For example, the circumfix can be added to the root adil (fair) to form keadilan (fairness).[4]

Other languages

In most North African and some Levantine varieties of Arabic, verbs are negated by placing the circumfix ma- -š around the verb together with all its prefixes and suffixed direct- and indirect-object pronouns. For example, Egyptian bitgibuhum-laha ("You bring them to her") is negated as ma-bitgibuhum-lahāš ("You don't bring them to her").

In Berber languages the feminine is marked with the circumfix t- -t. The word afus (hand) becomes tafust. In Kabyle, θissliθ "bride" derives from issli "groom". From bni, to build, with t--t we obtain tbnit, thou buildest.

In Hebrew, magdelet "magnifier", for example, the root is gdl "big" (in the H-stem hagdel "to enlarge") and the circumfix is m- -et.

Negation in Guaraní is also done with circumfixes, nd- -i and nd- -mo'ãi for future negations.

In Czech, as well as in Hungarian, superlative is formed by the circumfix (nej- -ší, resp. leg- -bb). In Czech nejmladší "youngest", for example, the root is mladý "young" and the circumfix is nej- -ší; in Hungarian legnagyobb "biggest", the root is nagy "big" and the circumfix is leg- -bb.

In Gurmanchema, noun classes are indicated by circumfix.

References

  1. ^ Tadmor, Uri (2005), "Malay-Indonesian and Malayic languages", in Strazny, Philipp (ed.), Encyclopedia of Linguistics, New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, pp. 644–647
  2. ^ Colarusso, John (2005), "Georgian and Caucasian languages", in Strazny, Philipp (ed.), Encyclopedia of Linguistics, New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, pp. 380–383
  3. ^ Boeckx, Cedric; Niinuma, Fumikazu (2004), "Conditions on Agreement in Japanese", Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 22 (3): 453–480, doi:10.1023/B:NALA.0000027669.59667.c5
  4. ^ Baryadi, I. Praptomo (2011). Morfologi dalam Ilmu Bahasa (in Indonesian). Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University Publishers. pp. 42–43. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

See also