Affixes

Affixes: The Meaning of the Prefixes and Suffixes

Affixes are defined as the meaningful parts of a word which are used in conjunction with the root. They are of two major categories: prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes are placed in front of a word and suffixes are placed at the end of a word. For example, it can be said that the prefix “un-” means “not” which is why, when it is used with the word “happy,” it becomes “unhappy” which means “not happy.” In the same way, whereby a word is transformed into another word that has quite a different meaning, if we add a suffix “-ful” then there is a clear meaning which is full of beauty in this context whereby the root “beauty” that has been changed, is now “beautiful”.

In English, such affixes are of a big importance to the users who enrich the language creating new words and new shades of meaning. They expand vocabulary and assist in grasping complicated terms. Knowing “how and where to apply hinges” can be very instrumental in making the language more effective such that the understanding of new words is quite effortless. Pip, the protagonist in Great expectations, grows from a ‘little man’ to a fully grown adult and for that reason, we see an expending span of language with time on the part of the learner making advanced communication more conceivable.