Old english vocabulary types of word formation in old english

OLD ENGLISH VOCABULARY TYPES OF WORD FORMATION IN OLD ENGLISH
-aþ forms nouns such as folgaþ, "retinue", from folgian, "to follow"; or huntaþ, "hunting", from huntian, "to hunt". These nouns are always masculine.
-dōm (= MnE "-dom", as in "wisdom", "kingdom") forms nouns such as hlāforddōm, "dominion, lordship", from hlāford, "lord"; or hāliġdōm, "holiness", from hāliġ, "holy". Nouns ending in -dōm are all masculine.
-end forms nouns from verbs; an X-end is one who does X: for example feohtend, "fighter, warrior", from feohtan, "to fight"; or lufiend, "lover", from lufian, "to love". Such nouns are masculine.
-ere (= MnE "-er") forms nouns from verbs in the same way as -end, e.g. dēmere, "judge" from dēman, "to judge"; or lēogere, "liar", from lēogan, "to lie". Such nouns are always masculine.
-estre is the female equivalent of ere; for example lufestre, "(female) lover"; or hearpestre, "(female) harpist". Such nouns are grammatically feminine as they are in meaning.
-hād (= MnE "-hood" as in "childhood"). X-hād is the state or condition of being X: for example prēosthād, "priesthood", from prēost, "priest"; or druncenhād, "drunkenness", from druncen, "drunk". Nouns ending in -hād are all masculine.
-nes (= MnE "-ness") forms nouns from adjectives, e.g. beorhtnes, "brightness", from beorht, "bright"; or glædnes, "gladness", from glæd, "glad". Nouns ending in -nes are always feminine.
-oþ is similar to -aþ, for example fiscoþ, "fishing", from fiscian, "to fish". Nouns ending in -oþ are masculine.
-scipe (= MnE "ship", as in "friendship") is similar to -dōm and -hād; for example ƿinescipe, "friendship", from ƿine, "friend"; or snotorscipe, "prudence, sagacity", from snotor, "wise". Nouns ending in -scipe are all masculine.
-ung (= MnE "-ing") forms nouns from verbs, e.g. huntung, "hunting", from huntian, "to hunt"; or cēapung, "business, trade", from cēapian, "to buy, to trade". Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine.
Nouns formed with prefixes[edit | edit source]
mis- (= MnE "mis-", as in "misdeed") gives a pejorative sense to a noun, as in misƿeorc, "evil deed", from ƿeorc, "deed".
un- (= MnE "un-") can either give a negative sense to a noun, as in unfriþ, "hostility", from friþ, "peace"; or it can give a pejorative sense to a noun, as in ungild, "an unjust or excessive tax" from gild, "tax, payment"; or unrǣd, "bad advice, folly", from rǣd, "advice".
Adjectives formed with suffixes[edit | edit source]
-en (= MnE "-en" as in "golden") together with i-mutation of the stem, forms an adjective from a noun denoting a material, for example the adjective ǣcen, "made of oak", from the noun āc, "oak".
-feald (= MnE "-fold") creates an adjective from a quantity, e.g. seofonfeald, "sevenfold"; maniġfeald, "manifold".
-full (= MnE "-ful") e.g. foreþancfull, "prudent", from foreþanc, "forethought"; or eġefull, "terrifying" from eġe, "fear".
-iġ (= MnE "-y") forms adjectives from nouns, as in grǣdiġ, "greedy, from grǣd, "greed"; or ƿlitiġ, "beautiful", from ƿlit, "appearance, shape, form".
-iht, applied to a noun X produces an adjective meaning "having the quality of X", for example sandiht, "sandy", from sand; or þorniht, "thorny", from þorn.
-isc (= MnE "-ish") produces an adjective from a location or nationality , for example Rōmānisc, "Roman"; or Fresisc, "Fresian".
-lēas (= MnE "-less") forms a privative adjective from a noun, e.g. drēamlēas, "sad", from drēam, "joy"; or ellenlēas, "cowardly, courageless", from ellen, "courage".
-liċ (= MnE -"ly") forms adjectives either from nouns, e.g. fēondliċ, "hostile", from fēond, "enemy"; or from adjectives, as in cūþliċ, "certain, evident", from cūþ, "known".
-ol forms adjectives from verbs, e.g. sƿicol, "deceitful", from sƿician, "to deceive"; or hatol, "odious, hated, hateful" from hatian, "to hate".
-sum (= MnE "-some" as in "troublesome") forms adjectives from nouns, as in friþsum, "peaceful", from friþ, "peace"; or ƿynsum, "pleasant, delightful", from ƿyn, "joy".
-ƿeardes (= MnE "-ward", as in "downward") forms an adjective from a direction, as in norþƿeard, "northward".
Adjectives formed with prefixes[edit | edit source]