H. Suffixal Homophones:
Some suffixes, both inflectional and derivational have homophonous forms:
1. The inflectional morpheme {-ER cp} has two homophones: {-ER n } & {-ER rp}
2. The verbal inflectional suffix {-ING vb} has two homophones: {-ING nm} & {-ING aj}.
3. The verbal inflectional {-D pp} has a homophone: the adjectival derivational {-D aj}.
4. The adverbial derivational suffix {-LY av} has one homophone: the adjectival derivational suffix {-Ly aj}.
1. The inflectional morpheme {-ER cp}:
The inflectional morpheme {-ER cp} has two homophones:
a) Derivational morpheme {-ER n}, which is attached to verbs to form nouns as in hunter, fisher, is often called the agent –er and conveys the meaning of “that which performs the action of the verb stem”. It may also be attached to nonverbal stems as in: teenager, New Yorker; conveying the meaning of “that which is related to”. Both belong to the same morpheme.
b) Derivational morpheme {-ER rp}, which appears at the end of words and conveys the meaning of repetition as in patter, chatter.
2. The verbal inflectional suffix {-ING vb}:
The verbal inflectional suffix {-ING vb} has two homophones :
a) Nominal derivational suffix {-ING nm} as in meetings, weddings.
b) Adjectival morpheme {-ING aj} as in ‘a charming woman’.
Verbal Inflectional Suffix Tests:
There are two tests to distinguish the verbal {-ING vb} from the adjectival {-ING aj}:
First Test:
a. The verbal {-ING vb} can usually occur after as well as before the noun it modifies as in:
- I saw a burning house.
- I saw a house burning.
b. The adjectival {-ING aj} can be preceded by a qualifier (very) or by the comparative or superlative (more and most), while the verbal {-ING vb} cannot.
- It is a very comforting thought.
- This is a more exciting movie.
- * I saw a rather burning house
Second Test:
The adjectival {-ING aj} can occur after the verb ‘seems’, but the verbal {-ING vb} cannot.
- The snake seems interesting.
- * The snake seems crawling.
3. The verbal inflectional {-D pp }:
The verbal inflectional {-D pp} has a homophone in the adjectival derivational {-D aj } as in:
- Helen was excited about her new job.
- She was a devoted mother.
a. The adjectival {-D aj } can be preceded by a qualifier (very, rather, quite) or (more & most).
b. The test of the verb (seem) is applicable to adjectival {-D aj }, but not to verbal {-D pp}
- *The very departed guests had forgotten their dog.
- *The guests seem departed.
4. The adverbial derivational suffix{-LY av}:
- The adverbial derivational suffix {-LY av} is added to most adjectives to form adverb of manner as in kindly, happily.
- {-LY av}has as a homophone the derivational suffix {-LY aj}that is distributed as follows:
a. Added to monosyllabic nouns to form adjectives that are inflected with –er, -est: love _ lovely.
b. It is added to nouns to form adjectives that are not inflected with –er, -est: king _ kingly.
c. It is added to few adjectives, giving alternate adjectival forms that are also inflected with –er, -est : dead _deadly.
d. Added to a short list of time nouns to form adjectives : day_daily, month _monthly.
Source:
Stageberg, Norman C. and Dallin D. Oaks (2000). An Introductory English Grammar , Heinle, Boston:USA.
