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In linguistic morphology, a transfix is a discontinuous affix which is inserted into a word root, as in root-and-pattern systems of morphology, like those of many Semitic languages.
A discontinuous affix is an affix whose phonetic components are not sequential within a word, and instead, are spread out between or around the phones that comprise the root. The word root is often an abstract series of three consonants, though single consonant, biliteral, and quadriliteral roots do exist. An example of a triconsonantal root would be ḍ–r–b (ض ر ب) in Arabic, which can be inflected to create forms such as ḍaraba 'he beat' and yaḍribu 'he beats'. While triconsonantal roots are widely considered to be the most common state, some linguists posit that biliteral roots may in fact be the default, though at least one scholar is skeptical of the legitimacy of these claims.
Transfixes are placed into these roots in assigned positions, dictated by templates which are tied to the specific meaning of a given inflection or derivation. The transfixes in the examples above are –a–a–a and ya––i–u.
Transfixes are different from prefixes, suffixes, and infixes in that a complete transfix is the entire structure which is placed into a root. A transfix is not a combination of prefixes, suffixes, and infixes, but its own unique structure which is split through a word. Similarly, another difference transfixes hold from other affixes is that the individual components of the transfix are meaningless on their own. If we look again at ḍaraba, the components of the –a–a–a transfix do not encode any meaning individually. Only together do they create the tense meaning.
The following are examples of verb inflection in Maltese, noun derivation in Arabic, and noun pluralization in Hausa, all three of which are Afro-Asiatic languages.
Maltese indicative inflections of the root q–t–l: Perfect and Imperfect Perfect Imperfect 1st
personSingular qatalto "I killed" aqtol "I kill" Plural qatalna "We killed" noqtul "We kill" 2nd
personSingular qatalta "You killed" taqtul "You kill" Plural qataltom "You killed" taqtulun "You kill" 3rd
personSingular Masc. qatala "He killed" jaqtul "He kills" Fem. qatalat "She killed" taqtul "She kills" Plural qatalu "They killed" jaqtulun "They kill"
The Maltese example efficiently demonstrates the broad nature of transfixes and how they can be inserted into a root.
Arabic transliteration | Translation |
---|---|
kataba كتب | 'he wrote' |
yaktubu يكتب | 'he is writing' |
kātib كاتب | 'writer' |
maktūb مكتوب | 'written' |
katb كتب | 'writing' (noun) |
maktab مكتب | 'office' |
makātib مكاتب | 'offices' |
kattaba كتب | 'he made (someone) write' |
ʾaktaba أكتب | 'he dictated' |
inkataba انكتب | 'he subscribed' |
iktataba اكتتب | 'he copied' |
takātabū تكاتبوا | 'they corresponded with each other' |
istaktaba استكتب | 'he dictated' |
The Arabic example shows the ways in which a great variety of different nouns and verbs can be derived from a single root through the use of transfixes.
Noun pluralization in Hausa Singular Plural zártòò "saw" zárààtáá "saws" ɡárkèè "herd" ɡárààkáá "herds" sárkʲíí "emir" sàrààkáí "emirs" ɡʷúrɡʷùù "cripple" ɡʷúrààɡʷúú "cripples" ʔárzìkʲíí "fortune" ʔárzúkàà "fortunes"
The Hausa example demonstrates the presence of transfixation in non-Semitic languages, though the phenomenon does not seem to be attested outside the Afro-Asiatic family.
See also
References
- Bennett, Patrick R. Comparative Semitic Linguistics : a Manual. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1998. 62-64. Print.
- McCarthy, John J. Formal Problems in Semitic Phonology and Morphology. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Linguistics Club, 1982. 200-218. Print.
- Borg, Albert J. Maltese. London; New York: Routledge, 1997. 244. Print.
- Wehr, Hans. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic : (Arabic-English). 4th ed., considerably enlarged and amended by the author. Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, 1994. 285-286. Print.
- Al-Hassan, Bello. "Transfixation in Hausa: A Hypothetical Analysis." Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures. 45. (2011): n. page. Web. 3 Feb. 2014. <http://www.sdalc.uw.edu.pl/index.php?journal=SDALC&page=article&op=download&path%5B%5D=33&path%5B%5D=21>.
- Alexis NEME and Eric Laporte (2013), Pattern-and-root inflectional morphology: the Arabic broken plural |year=
- Alexis NEME and Eric Laporte (2015), Do computer scientists deeply understand Arabic morphology? - هل يفهم المهندسون الحاسوبيّون علم الصرف فهماً عميقاً؟, available also in Arabic, Indonesian, French
In linguistic morphology a transfix is a discontinuous affix which is inserted into a word root as in root and pattern systems of morphology like those of many Semitic languages A discontinuous affix is an affix whose phonetic components are not sequential within a word and instead are spread out between or around the phones that comprise the root The word root is often an abstract series of three consonants though single consonant biliteral and quadriliteral roots do exist An example of a triconsonantal root would be ḍ r b ض ر ب in Arabic which can be inflected to create forms such as ḍaraba he beat and yaḍribu he beats While triconsonantal roots are widely considered to be the most common state some linguists posit that biliteral roots may in fact be the default though at least one scholar is skeptical of the legitimacy of these claims Transfixes are placed into these roots in assigned positions dictated by templates which are tied to the specific meaning of a given inflection or derivation The transfixes in the examples above are a a a and ya i u Transfixes are different from prefixes suffixes and infixes in that a complete transfix is the entire structure which is placed into a root A transfix is not a combination of prefixes suffixes and infixes but its own unique structure which is split through a word Similarly another difference transfixes hold from other affixes is that the individual components of the transfix are meaningless on their own If we look again at ḍaraba the components of the a a a transfix do not encode any meaning individually Only together do they create the tense meaning The following are examples of verb inflection in Maltese noun derivation in Arabic and noun pluralization in Hausa all three of which are Afro Asiatic languages Maltese indicative inflections of the root q t l Perfect and Imperfect Perfect Imperfect1st person Singular qatalto I killed aqtol I kill Plural qatalna We killed noqtul We kill 2nd person Singular qatalta You killed taqtul You kill Plural qataltom You killed taqtulun You kill 3rd person Singular Masc qatala He killed jaqtul He kills Fem qatalat She killed taqtul She kills Plural qatalu They killed jaqtulun They kill The Maltese example efficiently demonstrates the broad nature of transfixes and how they can be inserted into a root Arabic derivatives from the root k t b ك ت ب Arabic transliteration Translationkataba كتب he wrote yaktubu يكتب he is writing katib كاتب writer maktub مكتوب written katb كتب writing noun maktab مكتب office makatib مكاتب offices kattaba كتب he made someone write ʾaktaba أكتب he dictated inkataba انكتب he subscribed iktataba اكتتب he copied takatabu تكاتبوا they corresponded with each other istaktaba استكتب he dictated The Arabic example shows the ways in which a great variety of different nouns and verbs can be derived from a single root through the use of transfixes Noun pluralization in Hausa Singular Pluralzartoo saw zaraataa saws ɡarkee herd ɡaraakaa herds sarkʲii emir saraakai emirs ɡʷurɡʷuu cripple ɡʷuraaɡʷuu cripples ʔarzikʲii fortune ʔarzukaa fortunes The Hausa example demonstrates the presence of transfixation in non Semitic languages though the phenomenon does not seem to be attested outside the Afro Asiatic family See alsoNonconcatenative morphology Affix Prefix Suffix Infix Circumfix Interfix Simulfix Suprafix DuplifixReferencesBennett Patrick R Comparative Semitic Linguistics a Manual Winona Lake Ind Eisenbrauns 1998 62 64 Print McCarthy John J Formal Problems in Semitic Phonology and Morphology Bloomington Ind Indiana University Linguistics Club 1982 200 218 Print Borg Albert J Maltese London New York Routledge 1997 244 Print Wehr Hans A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic Arabic English 4th ed considerably enlarged and amended by the author Ithaca NY Spoken Language Services 1994 285 286 Print Al Hassan Bello Transfixation in Hausa A Hypothetical Analysis Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures 45 2011 n page Web 3 Feb 2014 lt http www sdalc uw edu pl index php journal SDALC amp page article amp op download amp path 5B 5D 33 amp path 5B 5D 21 gt Alexis NEME and Eric Laporte 2013 Pattern and root inflectional morphology the Arabic broken plural year Alexis NEME and Eric Laporte 2015 Do computer scientists deeply understand Arabic morphology هل يفهم المهندسون الحاسوبي ون علم الصرف فهما عميقا available also in Arabic Indonesian French