In linguistics, an agent noun (in Latin, nomen agentis) is a word that is derived from another word denoting an action, and that identifies an entity that does that action. For example, driver is an agent noun formed from the verb drive.
Usually, derived in the above definition has the strict sense attached to it in morphology, that is the derivation takes as an input a lexeme (an abstract unit of morphological analysis) and produces a new lexeme. However, the classification of morphemes into derivational morphemes (see word formation) and inflectional ones is not generally a straightforward theoretical question, and different authors can make different decisions as to the general theoretical principles of the classification as well as to the actual classification of morphemes presented in a grammar of some language (for example, of the agent noun-forming morpheme).
Words related to agent noun
| -cz | bieg-ać 'to run' | bieg-acz 'runner' |
|---|---|---|
| -rz | pis-ać 'to write' | pis-arz 'writer' |
| -c | †kraw-ać 'to cut' | kraw-iec 'tailor' |
| -ca | daw-ać 'to give' | daw-ca 'giver' |
| -k | pis-ać 'to write' | pis-ak 'marker' (pen) |
| skak-ać 'to jump' | skocz-ek 'jumper' | |
| chodz-ić 'to walk' | chodz-ik 'walker' (walking aid) | |
| -ciel | nos-ić 'to carry' | nos-i-ciel 'carrier' |
| -nik | pracow-ać 'to work' | pracow-nik 'worker' |
| rob-ić 'to do' 'to work' rob-ot-a 'work' | rob-ot-nik 'worker' | |
| praw-ić 'to orate' 'to moralize' praw-o 'law' praw-y 'right' 'righteous' | praw-nik 'lawyer' | |
| -y | las 'forest' leś-nik 'forester' | leś-nicz-y 'forester' |
An agentive suffix or agentive prefix is commonly used to form an agent noun from a verb. Examples:
- English: -er, -or, -ian, -ist
- Basque: -le (ikasle 'student' from ikasi 'learn')
- Chinese: ⋯者 (-zhě)
- Coptic: ⲣⲉϥ-, as in ⲣⲉϥⲙⲉⲓ (refmei 'loving person') from ⲙⲉⲓ (mei 'to love')
- Dutch: -er, -ende, -or, -iet, -ant, -aar
- Finnish: -ja/-jä (puhua 'speak', puhuja 'speaker'; lyödä 'hit', lyöjä 'hitter'); -uri (borrowed from '-or'/'er', probably via German)
- French: -(t)eur (m.); -(t)eure,-(t)euse, -trice, -iste (f.)
- Georgian: მე- ... -ე (me- ... -e), as in მებაღე (mebaghe 'gardener') from ბაღი (baghi 'garden'); otherwise the nominalization of the present participle (formed with many possible circumfixes) may occur.
- German: -er, -ler, -ner, -or, -ör, -ist, -it, -ite, -ant, -ent (may be compounded with the feminine ending -in)
- Greek: -ήρ, -τήρ
- Hungarian: no specific agentive suffix, the nominalization of present participle (suffix: -ó/-ő, according to vowel harmony) is used instead; examples: dolgozó ('worker'), szerelő ('repairman'), vezető ('leader', 'driver', 'electrical conductor')
- Irish: -óir (broad), -eoir (slender), -aí (broad), -í (slender)
- Khasi: prefix nong- or myn-, for example shad 'to dance', nongshad 'dancer'; tuh 'to steal', myntuh 'thief'
- Latin: -tor (m.) / -trix (f.) / -trum (n.) / -torius, -a, -um (adj.) as in arator / aratrix / aratrum / aratorius; -sor (m.) / -strix (f.) / -strum (n.) / -sorius, -a, -um (adj.) as in assessor / assestrix / *assestrum / assessorius; see also: -ens
- Maori: kai-
- Persian: ـنده (-ande): from present roots; as in گوینده (gūyande; 'speaker') from گفتن، گوی- (goftan, gūy-; to speak) / ـار (-ār) : from past roots; as in خواستار (xwāstār; 'wanter') from خواستن، خواه- (xwāstan, xwāh-; 'to want'). / ـگر (-gar): from nouns; as in کارگر (kārgar; 'worker') from کار (kār; 'work').
- Polish: see table
- Quechua: -q (pukllay 'to play', pukllaq 'player')
- Russian: -чик or -ник (m.) / -чица or -ница (f.) as in ученик 'student'; -тель (m.) / -тельница (f.) as in учитель 'teacher'
- Spanish: -dor(a), -ero(a), -ista, -ario(a)
- Turkish: -ci (çiçekçi 'florist' from çiçek 'flower')
- Welsh: -wr (m.), -ores (f.)
See also
References
- "agent noun". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- Panther, Klaus-Uwe; Thornburg, Linda L.; Barcelona, Antonio (2009). Metonymy and metaphor in grammar. Vol. 25. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 101. ISBN 978-90-272-2379-1.
- Delvaux, Martine; Melançon, Benoit (2019-08-21). "Pour ou contre le mot « autrice » ?" [For or against the word "author"?]. Radio-Canada (in French). Québec. Retrieved 2024-03-20. See also wikt:fr:-eure.
- Aronson, Howard I. (1990). Georgian: A Reading Grammar. Corrected edition. Columbus, Ohio: Slavica Publishers. pp. 119–120.
- ""Agent noun-اسم فاعل" in Dehkhoda Dictionary". Parsi Wiki.
- "Suffixes of Russian Nouns - Examples and Translation of Russian Suffixes". masterrussian.com. Retrieved 2017-02-15.
External links
Further reading
- Maria Wojtyła-Świerzowska, Prasłowiańskie nomen agentis ("Protoslavic Nomen Agentis"), Wrocław, 1975
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In linguistics an agent noun in Latin nomen agentis is a word that is derived from another word denoting an action and that identifies an entity that does that action For example driver is an agent noun formed from the verb drive Usually derived in the above definition has the strict sense attached to it in morphology that is the derivation takes as an input a lexeme an abstract unit of morphological analysis and produces a new lexeme However the classification of morphemes into derivational morphemes see word formation and inflectional ones is not generally a straightforward theoretical question and different authors can make different decisions as to the general theoretical principles of the classification as well as to the actual classification of morphemes presented in a grammar of some language for example of the agent noun forming morpheme Words related to agent nounPolish agental suffixes cz bieg ac to run bieg acz runner rz pis ac to write pis arz writer c kraw ac to cut kraw iec tailor ca daw ac to give daw ca giver k pis ac to write pis ak marker pen skak ac to jump skocz ek jumper chodz ic to walk chodz ik walker walking aid ciel nos ic to carry nos i ciel carrier nik pracow ac to work pracow nik worker rob ic to do to work rob ot a work rob ot nik worker praw ic to orate to moralize praw o law praw y right righteous praw nik lawyer y las forest les nik forester les nicz y forester An agentive suffix or agentive prefix is commonly used to form an agent noun from a verb Examples English er or ian ist Basque le ikasle student from ikasi learn Chinese 者 zhe Coptic ⲣⲉϥ as in ⲣⲉϥⲙⲉⲓ refmei loving person from ⲙⲉⲓ mei to love Dutch er ende or iet ant aar Finnish ja ja puhua speak puhuja speaker lyoda hit lyoja hitter uri borrowed from or er probably via German French t eur m t eure t euse trice iste f Georgian მე ე me e as in მებაღე mebaghe gardener from ბაღი baghi garden otherwise the nominalization of the present participle formed with many possible circumfixes may occur German er ler ner or or ist it ite ant ent may be compounded with the feminine ending in Greek hr thr Hungarian no specific agentive suffix the nominalization of present participle suffix o o according to vowel harmony is used instead examples dolgozo worker szerelo repairman vezeto leader driver electrical conductor Irish oir broad eoir slender ai broad i slender Khasi prefix nong or myn for example shad to dance nongshad dancer tuh to steal myntuh thief Latin tor m trix f trum n torius a um adj as in arator aratrix aratrum aratorius sor m strix f strum n sorius a um adj as in assessor assestrix assestrum assessorius see also ens Maori kai Persian ـنده ande from present roots as in گوینده guyande speaker from گفتن گوی goftan guy to speak ـار ar from past roots as in خواستار xwastar wanter from خواستن خواه xwastan xwah to want ـگر gar from nouns as in کارگر kargar worker from کار kar work Polish see table Quechua q pukllay to play pukllaq player Russian chik or nik m chica or nica f as in uchenik student tel m telnica f as in uchitel teacher Spanish dor a ero a ista ario a Turkish ci cicekci florist from cicek flower Welsh wr m ores f See alsoAgent grammar NominalizationReferences agent noun Oxford Learner s Dictionaries Retrieved December 11 2014 Panther Klaus Uwe Thornburg Linda L Barcelona Antonio 2009 Metonymy and metaphor in grammar Vol 25 John Benjamins Publishing Company p 101 ISBN 978 90 272 2379 1 Delvaux Martine Melancon Benoit 2019 08 21 Pour ou contre le mot autrice For or against the word author Radio Canada in French Quebec Retrieved 2024 03 20 See also wikt fr eure Aronson Howard I 1990 Georgian A Reading Grammar Corrected edition Columbus Ohio Slavica Publishers pp 119 120 Agent noun اسم فاعل in Dehkhoda Dictionary Parsi Wiki Suffixes of Russian Nouns Examples and Translation of Russian Suffixes masterrussian com Retrieved 2017 02 15 External linksLook up agent noun er ist or or in Wiktionary the free dictionary Further readingMaria Wojtyla Swierzowska Praslowianskie nomen agentis Protoslavic Nomen Agentis Wroclaw 1975 This linguistic morphology article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte
