The document discusses word formation through the addition of affixes like suffixes. It provides examples of how verbs can form agentive nouns by adding "-er", and how verbs can form adjectives by adding "-able", following systematic morphological rules. These changes can involve phonological, part-of-speech, and semantic alterations. It notes some verbs can take the "-able" suffix while others cannot, and some nouns can also take "-able".

1. Word Formation Process (1)

2. • Word formation involves building up complex
words from base morphemes and affixes.
• Examples:
Verb Agentive Nouns (verb
+ -er)
(to) teach teacher
(to) drive driver
(to) kill killer
(to) lead leader
(to) farm farmer

3. • Word formation follows
systematic morphological
principles, i.e there are rules by
which complex words are built up
from simpler words and
morphemes and on the other
hand, there are also rules by
which complex words can be
analyzed into simpler one.

4. • Consider the following sets of words:
Verb Adverb
(to) read readable
(to) wash washable
(to) break breakable
(to) drink drinkable
(to) pay payable
(to) move movable
(to) excuse excusable

5. • There are at least three changes that
can be observed when the suffix –able
is added to verbs.
1. A phonological Changes /ri:d/
/ri:dəbl/
2. A category changes or a part of
speech change. (Verb) -----
(adjective)
3. A semantic change. - able introduce
new element of meaning, able to be
X’d

6. Verbs taking – able Verbs not taking –able
(transitive) (Intransitive)
read Die
break Go
wash cry
eat sleep
mend weep
debate rest
use sit
drive run
spray stand

7. • Some nouns can be attached by
suffix – able are :
Peaceable
Marriageable
Knowledgeable
Saleable
Fashionable
Companionable
Impressionable
Actionable
reasonable

8. Adjective (reusable)
Verb (reuse) -able
Re- verb
use