Classical Studies 2800A/B Lecture Notes - Affix, Inchoative Aspect, Infinitive
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2 Dec 2011
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Affixes
• Affix - anything attached to a stem
• Prefix - before a stem
• Suffix - after a stem
• Infix - within a stem
Inceptive Verbs
Verbs that denote the beginning of a language that are characterized by the infix -sc-
just before the ending of the infinitive. Some have companion verbs without the infix.
Sc- also means "to know".
• Nasci, natus (beginning to be born)
• Adolescere, adultus beginning to mature)
• Candescere (being to glow)
• Florescere (begin to blossom)
• Irasci, iratus (begin to become angry)
• Obsolescere, obsoletus (begin to wear out, go out of style)
• Valescere, (begin to gain strength)
Examples
Convalesce
-con- to grow together
-sc- to begin to
Coalesce
-begin to grow together
Convalescent, convalescence
-ent - ing
-en- - ing, ce - act of
-esc - beginning to
Candescent (A1)
-cand - to glow or to shine
-escent - beginning to
Obsolete vs. obsolescent
-obsolescent is beginning to become obsolete
Suffixes Attached to Verbs
-id or -or
Latin words were often formed from the stem of infinitives ending in -ere with the suffix -
or or -id in English. Id < idus (adj. forming). -Or < -or, -oris (abstract noun-forming).
Examples