English prefixes and their productiveness in word formation

i MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY DO THI TIEU YEN ENGLISH PREFIXES AND THEIR PRODUCTIVENESS IN WORD FORMATION TIỀN TỐ TIẾNG ANH VÀ TÍNH SẢN SINH CỦA CHÚNG TRONG CẤU TẠO TỪ M.A. THESIS Field: English Language Code: 60220201 Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Phan Van Que, Ph.D HANOI – 2013 ii DECLARATION I hereby declare that no part of the enclosed Master Thesis has been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgement and that the thesis is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor. Hanoi 28 th November, 2013 Đỗ Thị Tiểu Yến Approved by iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank all those who have contributed in different ways to this thesis. Firstly, I am greatly indebted to all my teachers at the Postgraduate studies department and the English one at HOU. In particular, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Van Que, who has given us his invaluable comment, directions and wholehearted assistance as well as supplied us with helpful material of English prefixes during the course of my thesis. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of our friends in the same department, who continuously encourage and provide us with the materials. I am very thankful to the authors of general and special books and documents on English prefixes used in the thesis. Last but not least, my warmest thanks go to my beloved family, my colleagues, my friends for their kind and helpful supports and useful encouragements. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 1 .Rationale of the study 1 2. Aims and objectives of the study 1 3. Research questions 2 4. Scope of the study 2 5. Methods of the study 2 6. Design of the study 3 PART II: DEVELOPMENT 3 CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 4 1.1. Literature review 4 1.2. Theoretical background 4 1.2.1. The English word structure 4 1.2.1.1. The word: General problems for definition 4 1.2.1.2. The morpheme 8 1.2.1.3. Types of words and morphemes 8 1.2.1.3.1. Types of words 8 1.2.1.3.2. Types of morphemes 9 1.2.2. The English word formation 10 1.2.2.1. Definition 10 1.2.2.2. Productivity 11 1.2.2.3. Ways of word- formation 11 1.2.2.3.1. Affixation 11 1.2.2.3.2. Compounding 12 1.2.2.3.3. Shortening 14 1.2.2.3.4. Conversion 15 v 1.2.2.3.5. Back- formation 17 1.2.2.3.6. Sound imitation 17 1.3. English prefixes 18 1.3.1. Definition 18 1.3.2. Main features of the English prefixes 20 1.3.2.1. Class-changing prefixes: 20 1.3.2.2. Class -maintaining prefixes 20 1.3.2.3. Stress of prefixes. 21 1.3.2.4. Other features of English prefixes 22 1.3.3. The classification of English prefixes 22 1.3.3.1. The classification of English prefixes according to their origins 26 1.3.3.2. The classification of English prefixes according to their uses. 27 1.3.3.3. The classification of English prefixes according to their functions 27 1.3.3.4. The classification of English prefixes according to Randolph Quirk 28 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 38 2.1. Research questions 38 2.2. Research Design 38 2.3. Instruments 42 2.4. Processing and Analysis of data 42 CHAPTER 3: FINDING AND DISCUSSIONS 44 3.1. Finding 44 3.1.1. The productive prefixes in English 45 3.1.1.1. “Counter-“ 45 3.1.1.2. “Dis-“. 46 3.1.1.3.“Non-”: 49 3.1.1.4. “Out-” 54 3.1.1.5. “Pre-“: 55 3.1.1.6. “Re-”: 57 3.1.1.7. “Super-”: 59 vi 3.1.1.8. “Un-”: 60 3.2. Discussions 60 3.2.1 Some problems and solutions for the prefixes 61 3.2.1.1. Problems: 62 3.2.1.2. Solutions: 63 CHAPTER 4: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING 67 4.1. The target population : 67 4.1.1. English language proficiency level: 67 4.1.2. Motivation and Attitude: 67 4.1.3. Language needs: 68 4.2. The acquisition of English productive prefixes: 69 4.3. Teaching strategies: 72 4.3.1. Presenting: 72 4.3.2. Practice: 73 4.3.3. Expansion of vocabulary: 74 PART III: CONCLUSION 74 1. A brief summary of the thesis and main conclusions 75 2. Suggestions for further study 75 REFERENCES 75 1 PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 .Rationale of the study As we know, there has been a demand for the learning of English all over the world. It is frequently used in nearly every field from communication, economics, and technology to sports, games and so forth. English is also widely used in literature. This is the reason why English is a now compulsory subject in most schools and tertiary institutions. However, both English teaching and learning still leave something to be desired. When learning English, Vietnamese students cope with a number of such as grammar, sounds, vocabulary, etc. Words, therefore, play a very important role. Wallace points out: “Not being able to find the words you need to express yourself is the most frustrating experience in speaking another language”. As a matter of fact, it is the experience of most language teachers that the single, biggest component of a language is vocabulary. No matter how well students learn grammar, no matter how well the sounds of languages are mastered, without words, communication totally breaks down. Prefixes are extremely common in English and they cause so many problems for students for instance how to add them to words, how to pronounce those words. This is the reason why I choose this topic and carry out a thorough scrutiny in English prefixes and their productiveness. 2. Aims and objectives of the study 2.1. Aims of the study. I decided to study English prefixes with the following aims: - Systematizing all kinds of English prefixes. - Clarifying English Prefixes. - Carrying out a thorough scrutiny into productive prefixes. - Discovering the Vietnamese learners ’mistakes in using vocabulary. - Finding out solutions for overcoming problems in using English prefixes. - Helping students get a deeper understanding of English prefixes in general and English prefixes in particular. 2 2.2. Objectives of the study. - Students must use common prefixes effectively. They can add productive ones rather easily (like: re, non etc) - In future study, future research they can grasp the whole system of prefixes. - They can have feeling about not only English vocabulary but also Vietnamese vocabulary. For example: learn again – relearn Produce again – reproduce 3. Research questions 1) What is the role of prefixes in English word formation? 2) What are the types of English prefixes? 3) Which prefixes are productive and which are non-productive? 4) What problems are caused by prefixes in English for Vietnamese learners? 4. Scope of the study Firstly, the thesis refers briefly to English words as well as ways of forming words. The focus of my study is on English prefixation, a main way of forming words because most derived words in English are through prefixation. Secondly, the thesis goes into the productiveness of English prefixes which are most often used and most easily used by native speakers and especially foreign students. Finally, the thesis points out some mistakes Vietnamese learners usually make. and discusses common mistakes concerning English prefixes. 5. Methods of the study Linguistics has many ways and methods to research into certain matters. There are synchronic approach and diachronic approach. In this thesis we follow the diachronic approach dealing mainly with the matters of the present day prefixation. The thesis goes into the matters related to words formation in English in general and English prefixes in particular. There is a careful discussion as well. We look 3 into almost all the aspects of English prefixes and their problems for teaching as well as learning. We collect materials from books, newspaper, internet and use descriptive and analysis methods to make them clearer. By means of employing this combined approach, the researcher obtains the advantages of both quantitative and qualitative methods to overcome their limitations. 6. Design of the study My thesis, system of delivered materials for a more systematic study will concentrate on the following: − Part 1 is the production which presents rationale, aims, objectives, research questions, scope, methods and design of the study. − Part 2 is divided into 3 chapters: o Chapter 1 introduces a brief review of prefix presence in the English word formation. o Chapter 2 is methodology which describes the processes or procedures I have done the study. o Chapter 3 covers finding and discussions about the main focus, their productiveness in English word formation and Vietnamese students’ problems in using English prefixes. o Chapter 4 refers to implication and strategies for successful instructions of the English prefixes and their productiveness. − Part 3 is the conclusion, which sum up the issues recorded and makes some suggestions for further study. 4 PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 .Literature review Prefixes, as a matter of fact, must have been a common topic for research since they are extremely widely used and cause many difficulties troubles for students. They have been dealt with not only in books specializing in grammar but in many others about English. Text books, students’ books, in internet and so on do research into them very carefully. However, very few of them investigate their productiveness in order to enable students to use prefixes more effectively. Learning prefixes is often a matter of great difficulty for non- native English learners. Thus, many books on this subject are written by linguistics in hope of helping learners to have full understanding of prefixes. In 1983, Laurie Bauer published a book name” English word-formation”. Through reading this book, we can understand, and then remember different ways of usage as well as individual meaning of words in real –life situation. Unlike “English word-formation” by Laurie Bauer (1983) the book “A University grammar of English” by Randolph Quirk, Sidney Green Baum (1987), “A University grammar of English” analysis prefixes details. The writer gave kinds of prefixes; their classification, function…. In Vietnam, Truong, Hoang Tat wrote “Basic English Lexicology” in 1993, which go deeply into the prefixes: their classification, their definition, their meaning, and their functions but in this thesis I concentrate on the productiveness of English prefixes. 1.2 Theoretical background. 1.2.1. The English word structure 1.2.1.1. The word: General problems for definition. Between linguistic units the border line is not always sharp and clear. “Word” as the basic unit of language appears to be a simple concept but as a matter of fact, it is hardly possible to define accurately because the words have many different [...]... 1.3.2.2 Class -maintaining prefixes Prefixes rarely form new part of speech They mainly modify the lexical meaning of the words, therefore simple words but derived words are often in the same word- class Example: Happy(adj) unhappy(adj) Continue(v) Ordinate(adj) discontinue(v) subordinate(adj) Modifying the lexical meaning of the word and maintaining word class are typical features of English prefixes 20... meaning “not” as in imprint, intake” The prefix “im” is derived from Latin and has same meaning with “ in It usually stands before the letter” b, m and p” Examples: imbalance, immature, impossible + Sometimes it is regarded as prefixes “il, ir” with meaning “not” and formed with adjectives, adverbs and nouns as in “inadequate, infinite, insincere” The prefix “il” is derived from Latin and usually stands... -right, man, -mini, -self” have great combining ability, they may be independent words having distinctive meaning but they loose their grammatical independence and even their meaning, some are used combinations Thus, these derivational words can also be called “semi-affixes” or “affixal words” We can also divide semi- 13 affixes into semi -prefixes and semi-suffixes So, this type of compositing words can... reference Finally, there are many ways and types of forming words Each has its own strong points, characteristics and also restrictions In the next chapter I would prefer to go study deeply in the productiveness of English Prefixes, which is a most interesting and no less difficult problem in English 1.3 .English prefixes 1.3.1 Definition “A prefix is a syllable or group of syllables placed at the beginning... across 27 into daily use which facilitates learners in taking in the notable prefixes are presented 1.3.3.4 The classification of English prefixes according to Randolph Quirk There are many ways to classify English prefixes, according to Hoang Tat Truong, for example: prefixes are classified in many ways, either according to their origin or meaning or function” Hoang Tat Truong,1993:17 However, Randolph... “understand” and “revolution”, and they modify the meanings of the original roots in different ways Knowing the formation of prefixes and some principal prefixes in English can facilitate us to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words It is as well helpful to express the ideas in different ways within a limited stock of vocabulary There are some examples for fully understanding: Pre-intermediate learners... of prefixes affect only the lexical meaning of words but there are some important cases where prefixes serve to form words belon-ging to different parts of speech as compared with the original word These are in the first place the verb-forming prefixes be- and en-, which combine functional meaning with a certain variety of lexical meanings Be- forms 24 transitive verbs with adjective and noun stems and. .. - Old English origin: for, fore, etc Greek origin: anti, agro, auto, di, hemi, homo, etc Latin origin: dis, bi, inter, infra, etc 1.3.3.2 The classification of English prefixes according to their uses English prefixes can also be grouped in accordance with their productive use Yet, this way of classification is applied in a limited scope with certain elements only Examples: Negation: a-, ids-, in- ,... is the system: * Preposition – like prefixes E.g inter – (between) in intersection * Adjective- like prefixes E.g: mini- (small) in mini-cap Neo-(new) in neo-classical * Adverbial prefixes Re-(again) Mis-(wrongly) in redo in misunderstand * Nominal prefixes Non- nonstop Out- outnumber Over- overeat It is as well noticeable that many other prefixes may have the same initial letters like the mentioned... examined the word in his study of the second signal system, and defined it as a universal signal that can substitute any other signal from the environment in evoking a response in human organism In linguistics, the word has been defined syntactically, semantically, phonologically and by combining various approaches Haslet syntactically defined it as “the minimum sentence” later L.Bloomfield defined . ’mistakes in using vocabulary. - Finding out solutions for overcoming problems in using English prefixes. - Helping students get a deeper understanding of English prefixes in general and English prefixes. finding and discussions about the main focus, their productiveness in English word formation and Vietnamese students’ problems in using English prefixes. o Chapter 4 refers to implication and. -mini, -self” have great combining ability, they may be independent words having distinctive meaning but they loose their grammatical independence and even their meaning, some are used combinations.