In Italian grammar, suffixation (suffissazione) consists of adding an affix after the base:
forma » formale (formal)
formale » formalizzare (to formalize)
formalizzare » formalizzazione (formalization)
[From a grammatical standpoint, note that the ending -a is removed from the base forma. To the root thus obtained, form-, the suffix -ale is then added.]
Suffixation is essential in the transition from one category of words to another: a verb may give rise to a noun or an adjective, a noun to a verb or an adjective, an adjective to a verb or noun.
Suffixation can also occur within the same category of words: from a noun to another noun, from an adjective to another adjective, from a verb to another verb. Note that the transformation from adjective to adjective and from verb to verb occurs only within the specific grammatical process alteration (alterazione).
Suffixed words (suffissati) that are derived from nouns are called denominali (denominatives), those derived from adjectives are called deaggettivali, and those derived from verbs are called deverbali. In addition, the suffixed words (nouns, adjectives, or verbs) that are formed in the process of suffixation are referred to as nominali (nominals), aggettivali (adjectivals), or verbali (verbals). For example, orologiaio is a suffissato nominale denominale (suffixed nominal denominative); it is, in effect, a noun derived from another noun. The word operabile is instead a suffissato aggettivale deverbale (suffixed adjectival deverbal); that is, an adjective derived from a verb, and so on.
No language, including Italian, takes full advantage of the potential offered by the mechanism of word formation; that, given a base, not all possible derivatives are veritable words. For example, from the word lavare (to wash) the derivatives lavaggio, lavatura, and lavata can be formed, but not lavazione or lavamento.
In other cases, the derivative does not retain all the meanings and uses of the base form. For example, the derived nominal of the adjective pieno is pienezza, is a form that can be used only in the figurative sense:
Il presidente ha i pieni poteri » la pienezza dei poteri del presidente, but not
Il bicchiere è pieno » la pienezza del bicchiere
The adjective popolare (popular) has, contrarily, the prefixed form impopolare; it can only be used as a qualifying adjective (aggettivo qualificativo) but not as an adjective of relationship (aggettivo di relazione). It is possible to say un personaggio popolare (a popular celebrity) or un personaggio impopolare (an unpopular celebrity) (where the adjective is qualified), but when considering the expression l'ira popolare (public wrath) the contrary term l'ira impopolare is not valid (where the adjective is relational).
It is important to take into account some structural changes that can sometimes exist between the base and the suffixed word form. Remember:
lieto » letizia
nuovo » novitÃ
potente » potenza
comico » comicitÃ
mago » magia
mese (Latin mensem) » mensile
chiaro (Latin clarum) » acclarare
In all these cases, as in others (note in particular important Greek loan words such as: crisi » critico) they are referred to as a base modificata (modified base).
The table below indicates the nine main types of suffixes; adverbs must also be included in the list, which can be both bases (indietro » indietreggiare) and derivatives (veloce » velocemente, bocca » bocconi).
LA SUFFISSAZIONE
forma » formale (formal)
formale » formalizzare (to formalize)
formalizzare » formalizzazione (formalization)
[From a grammatical standpoint, note that the ending -a is removed from the base forma. To the root thus obtained, form-, the suffix -ale is then added.]
Suffixation is essential in the transition from one category of words to another: a verb may give rise to a noun or an adjective, a noun to a verb or an adjective, an adjective to a verb or noun.
Suffixation can also occur within the same category of words: from a noun to another noun, from an adjective to another adjective, from a verb to another verb. Note that the transformation from adjective to adjective and from verb to verb occurs only within the specific grammatical process alteration (alterazione).
Suffixed words (suffissati) that are derived from nouns are called denominali (denominatives), those derived from adjectives are called deaggettivali, and those derived from verbs are called deverbali. In addition, the suffixed words (nouns, adjectives, or verbs) that are formed in the process of suffixation are referred to as nominali (nominals), aggettivali (adjectivals), or verbali (verbals). For example, orologiaio is a suffissato nominale denominale (suffixed nominal denominative); it is, in effect, a noun derived from another noun. The word operabile is instead a suffissato aggettivale deverbale (suffixed adjectival deverbal); that is, an adjective derived from a verb, and so on.
No language, including Italian, takes full advantage of the potential offered by the mechanism of word formation; that, given a base, not all possible derivatives are veritable words. For example, from the word lavare (to wash) the derivatives lavaggio, lavatura, and lavata can be formed, but not lavazione or lavamento.
In other cases, the derivative does not retain all the meanings and uses of the base form. For example, the derived nominal of the adjective pieno is pienezza, is a form that can be used only in the figurative sense:
Il presidente ha i pieni poteri » la pienezza dei poteri del presidente, but not
Il bicchiere è pieno » la pienezza del bicchiere
The adjective popolare (popular) has, contrarily, the prefixed form impopolare; it can only be used as a qualifying adjective (aggettivo qualificativo) but not as an adjective of relationship (aggettivo di relazione). It is possible to say un personaggio popolare (a popular celebrity) or un personaggio impopolare (an unpopular celebrity) (where the adjective is qualified), but when considering the expression l'ira popolare (public wrath) the contrary term l'ira impopolare is not valid (where the adjective is relational).
It is important to take into account some structural changes that can sometimes exist between the base and the suffixed word form. Remember:
- the diphthong-vowel alternation (the so-called dittongo mobile—mobile diphthong):
lieto » letizia
nuovo » novitÃ
- the occlusive-affricate alternation, in its three varieties:
potente » potenza
comico » comicitÃ
mago » magia
- alternations due to the preservation in the suffixed word of characters present in Latin, for example:
mese (Latin mensem) » mensile
chiaro (Latin clarum) » acclarare
In all these cases, as in others (note in particular important Greek loan words such as: crisi » critico) they are referred to as a base modificata (modified base).
The table below indicates the nine main types of suffixes; adverbs must also be included in the list, which can be both bases (indietro » indietreggiare) and derivatives (veloce » velocemente, bocca » bocconi).
LA SUFFISSAZIONE
| With respect to the base of origin | With respect to its type | ||
| DENOMINALE | orologio » | orologiaio | NOMINALE |
| (base = noun) | idea » | ideale | AGGETTIVALE |
| idea » | ideare | VERBALE | |
| DEAGGETTIVALE | bello» | bellezza | NOMINALE |
| (base = adjective) | verde» | verdastro | AGGETTIVALE |
| verde» | verdeggiare | VERBALE | |
| DEVERBALE | operare» | operazione | NOMINALE |
| (base = verb) | operare» | operabile | AGGETTIVALE |
| cantare» | canticchiare | VERBALE | |