Derivational Affixes
Productive affixes have narrow, stable functions and do not mutate the root.
| Affix | Function |
|---|---|
-er | agent / one who performs an action |
-ing | action or process |
-lik | resemblance / characteristic quality |
-isk | category, origin, affiliation, association |
-nes | abstract state or quality |
-vis | manner |
un- | semantic opposite, reversal, or absence |
Examples:
timb-er — buildertimb-ing — building / constructionwulf-lik — wolf-likewulf-isk — pertaining to wolvesstark-nes — strengthhard-vis — with difficultyun-timb — dismantle / reverse building
un- is lexical. Clause negation uses ne.
Affixes may stack when the resulting meaning remains interpretable. Root spelling and pronunciation remain unchanged across affix boundaries.