关键词：词缀，词缀法，认知语言学理论，认知规律，现实意义

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements..i

Abstractii

摘要.iii

1 Introduction 1

2 Introduction to English Affixation 4

2.1 Development of English Affixation 4

2.2 Delimitation of English Affixation 6

2.3 Characteristics of English Affixation 7

3 Illustration of Multidimensional Approaches to the Study of English Affixation Cognition 9

3.1 Emergence of Quasi-Affixes 9

3.2 Approach in Dialogue 11

3.3 Approach in Reading 12

3.4 Approach in Dictionary 13

4 Analysis of Cognitive Patterns in English Affixation 15

4.1 Scientific Memorizing Strategy Derived from English Affixation 15

4.2 Exploration of English Affixation Cognitive Patterns via Chinese Counterparts 16

4.3 Limitation of Age to Language Cognitive Patterns in English Affixation 19

4.4 Significance of a Cognitive Study in English Affixation 20

5 Conclusion 22

Bibliography.24

1 Introduction

An English affix, which is given the definition of a bound lexical element lying in the ‘head’ or the ‘tail’ (rarely in the middle body) of a word plays a significant role in the constitution of a lexical unit. English affixation, whose definition can be easily deduced from its word structure, is a collective unit of the methods and techniques extracted from the practical and common use of English affixes. As the term suggests, English affixation can only be realized by English affixes’ utilization, that is, prefixes, suffixes, and a small amount of infixes. These kinds of additional elements are placed at the beginning or the end of a word element to modify its meaning or to change its word class.

As a word-formation device, English affixation is a linguistic process that is widely used in literary works and people’s daily life or workplace. According to the record in ancient documents, there were almost 140,000 words recorded in English vocabulary during Shakespearean time, among which a large number of words can be separated into an affix and another free morpheme. Such affixing words were then officially kept in record as the use of the affix-formed words was as frequent as or even surpass their original free morphemes. Although there is no accurate statistics having come out yet, the well-grounded evidence reflects that it must be the most effective means in word-forming methods and the word formed by this way are expected to be considerable.

With the changing generation and developing technology, there have emerged a large number of new words and new meanings in English word bank, among which people create and remember new words in the way of attaching to or restructuring the premier elements to illustrate current issues, latest ideas and new experiences. This typical technique of creation has been considered as one of the most important parts in word formation and for centuries afterwards it still undertakes such pivotal mission on word forming. The main reason for that is people tend to restructure relatively familiar elements or reorganize known parts in conversation rather than employ a new word so that the interlocutor can be clearly and easily understood. For example, motherly and maternal both indicate a person who has a characteristic of a mother. However, it seems that the former is more likely to be marked in one’s mind because of its simple structure and direct meaning.

Affixation has also consistently attracted scholarly attention. English affixes are so active and productive that the significance of it in modern English cannot be underestimated. The thriving development of word affixation in new word formation is unprecedented in recent decades, which has greatly influenced the English vocabulary system. Like it or not, affixation has always been an important topic in the linguistic research. The study of cognition in English affixes and affixation is especially given credits to be of momentous and far-reaching significance, which unveils the pragmatic value of English affixes and affixation for language learners, thus arousing the researcher’s strong interest in exploring further the function of the cognitive mechanism of English affixes and word affixation in both language learning and language use.