We explain what parasynthetic words are, how they are formed and what types exist. Also, various examples in sentences.
What are parasynthetic words?
Parasynthetic words are those that are obtained through the word formation process known as parasynthesis, which consists of the union of two or more complex morphemes, between which simple forms do not intermediate, to achieve a result that encompasses the total senses of the whole.
In other words, parasynthesis is a complex process of word formation in which both derivation and composition take place, without one method prevailing over the other, in order to achieve words of a greater meaning.
In fact, parasynthetic words are recognizable by their complex structure, in which different lexemes can be recognized, as is the case of “beggar” (for + god + suffix -ero, that is, a person who asks through god, as beggars usually do).
Parasynthesis is an important process for the construction of new words and terms in the Spanish language, and it generally occurs according to the following formulas:
Releasable morpheme + Releasable morpheme + Non-releasable morpheme
Non-releasable morpheme + Releasable morpheme + Non-releasable morpheme
Where the releasable morphemes are those words or roots that have their own and recognizable meaning separately from the rest of the word, as in the previous case “por” (preposition) and “Dios” (noun); while non-releasable morphemes are those that obey the logic of derivation or affixation, as in the previous case, the suffix “-ero”.
Types and examples of parasynthetic words
Parasynthetic words can belong to any of the known grammatical categories, generally depending on their ending. For instance:
Parasynthetic nouns:
- Excommunication (prefix Former + communicate + suffix –tion).
- Motoring (Car + Mobile + suffix -ism).
- Deaf mute (Deaf + Mute + suffix -ez).
- Overpopulation (Upon + Village + suffix -tion).
Parasynthetic adjectives:
- Latin American (Latin + America + suffix -year).
- Tinsmith (Leaf + Can + suffix -ero).
- Premature (Seven + Month + suffix -ino).
- Orange (infix to– + Orange + suffix -ado).
Parasynthetic adverbs:
- Sullenly (Wrong + humor + infix –ada + suffix -mind).
- Dispassionately (prefix Des– + infix to– + passion + infix –ada + suffix -mind).
- Endlessly (prefix In + end up + suffix –ble + suffix -mind).
Parasynthetic verbs:
- Treasure (prefix TO– + treasure + suffix -ar).
- Squint (Among + closing + suffix -ar).
- Detoxify (prefix Des– + affix in– + toxic + suffix -ar).
- Predominate (prefix Pre– + domain + suffix -ar).
Sentences with parasynthetic words
Here are some sentences with the parasynthetic words offered as an example above:
- The excommunication it was a common practice of the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages.
- At home we are all fans of motoring.
- A significant percentage of students suffer from deaf-mute.
- In China they faced a serious problem of overpopulation.
- It is not easy to find the essence of what Latin American.
- One of my cousins ended up being tinsmith.
- The neighbors had a baby premature.
- What sunshine Orange we have today!
- Don’t do things grumpily, please.
- He told me what he thought dispassionately.
- Yesterday the talk went on endlessly.
- My mother has given for treasure those discount coupons.
- Needless squint the entrance gate that way.
- We go to the hospital, so they can detoxify.
- Your comments tend to predominate in our meetings.