You're probably very familiar with the definitions of prefixes and suffixes. But did you know there are other similar structures that attach to root words in different ways? One such structure is the transfix. Although relatively uncommon, transfixes appear in some languages through root-and-pattern morphology. The pattern of transfixation can be difficult for English speakers to grasp, but some examples from other languages will clear up the distinction.
Millions of flashcards designed to help you ace your studies
Sign up for freeThe act of attaching a transfix is called:
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent an infix?
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent a transfix?
What language family features root-and-pattern morphology and transfixation?
Which of these are bound morphemes?
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent a circumfix?
Consider the (fake) word Dagosa in a language with root-and-pattern morphology.Which of these is the pattern?
An infix is a _____ affix.
A suffix is a _____ affix.
Consider the (fake) word Dagosa in a language with root-and-pattern morphology. Which of these is the root?
A transfix is a _____ affix.
The act of attaching a transfix is called:
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent an infix?
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent a transfix?
What language family features root-and-pattern morphology and transfixation?
Which of these are bound morphemes?
Which of these patterns uses blank spaces to represent a circumfix?
Consider the (fake) word Dagosa in a language with root-and-pattern morphology.Which of these is the pattern?
An infix is a _____ affix.
A suffix is a _____ affix.
Consider the (fake) word Dagosa in a language with root-and-pattern morphology. Which of these is the root?
A transfix is a _____ affix.
Achieve better grades quicker with Premium
Geld-zurück-Garantie, wenn du durch die Prüfung fällst
Review generated flashcards
Start learning or create your own AI flashcards
Team Transfix Teachers
Transfixes are special morphemes that disperse themselves throughout other morphemes. The act of attaching a transfix is called transfixation.
A transfix is an affix spread throughout a word's base.
That definition warrants a few others.
An affix is a morpheme that attaches to a base. In the word polarity, -ity is an affix.
A base is the part of a word that affixes attach to. In the word polarity, polar is the base for -ity.
A root is a base that only consists of a single morpheme. In the word polarity, pol(e) is the root.
A morpheme is a meaningful unit of a word that can't be broken down into smaller meaningful units. In the word polarity, pol(e) (the opposite ends of an axis), -ar (turning pole into an adjective), and -ity (turning polar into a noun) are all morphemes.
Now for a more detailed morphological description of transfixes. Transfixes are bound morphemes and are part of the category of discontinuous affixes.
A bound morpheme is a morpheme that can't exist alone as a base word.
Morphemes like -ing, non-, -ness, re-, and -er are bound morphemes because they carry meaning but can't stand alone as complete words.
A discontinuous affix is an affix that is broken up into multiple pieces.
You're probably more familiar with continuous affixes, which appear in one piece. The suffix -ation, for example, attaches fully to the end of the base. If -ation were a discontinuous affix, it would separate and attach to the base in multiple places. You'll see examples of this later.
The term transfix falls under the larger category of affixes, and it shares qualities and patterns with other members of the category. Affixes take multiple forms, including prefixes, suffixes, infixes, circumfixes, and transfixes.
| Type of Affix | Structure |
| prefix | __base |
| suffix | base__ |
| infix | ba__se |
| circumfix | __base__ |
| transfix | b_a_s_e_ |
The primary affixes found in English are prefixes and suffixes. These affixes are the easiest to grasp for English speakers. Some common prefixes are un- as in unbelievable and pre- as in predetermine. Suffixes include morphemes like -ism, as in ageism, and -ing, as in running.
Infixes don't appear as much in English. These are affixes that are inserted into the middle of a base. One of the only instances of infixation in English is in hyperbole and swearing. A hyperbolic expression like abso-freaking-lutely inserts freaking into the middle of absolutely. This same structure is used to emphasize the emotion in several expressions—use your imagination and you can probably think of a few alternatives!
Fig. 1 - Infixes are sometimes used to swear or speak hyperbolically in English.
Circumfixes are the opposite of infixes: they break themselves in two and attach to both sides of a base. This structure is also not common in English. You can find circumfixes, though, in some old-fashioned English songs. A traditional English Christmas song called Here We Come A-Wassailing uses circumfixes: a- and -ing are parts of the same affix, which attaches itself to wassail.
Finally, transfixes are unique from other affixes because they are spread out through the base. They're most commonly found in languages with a morphological structure called root-and-pattern morphology.
In languages with root-and-pattern morphology, the base of a word is the root, and the transfix is the pattern. The root provides a framework of consonants, and the pattern inserts a series of vowels and other sounds between the consonants.
Here's a demonstration of root-and-pattern morphology in a made-up language.
The root is the string of consonants BDG. For the purposes of this example, BDG means to eat.
The patterns insert vowels in and around the root. A capital C in a pattern represents a consonant. Some patterns to apply to this root are:
Plugging the root into these patterns results in new words:
You can apply several patterns to the same root. The consonants from the root form the base of the resulting word, and the vowels added by the pattern form the transfix.
Fig. 2 - In root-and-pattern morphology, roots and patterns fit together like puzzle pieces to form new words.
Root-and-pattern morphology appears in Semitic languages. Languages in the Semitic family are spoken throughout North Africa and Northwestern Asia. The most widely-spoken Semitic languages are Arabic and Hebrew, but the family also includes Maltese, Amharic, Tigrinya, Tigré, and Aramaic.
Here's an example from Arabic.
You may know the Arabic greeting As-Salaam-Alaikum, which means peace be upon you. The root SLM in Salaam means peace.
Some other patterns can apply to this root, including:
Applying these patterns to the root SLM gets you these words.2
| Pattern | Applied to Root SLM | Meaning in English |
| CaCiCa | SaLiMa | "be safe, well" |
| CaCaCa | SaLaMa | "make peace with somebody" |
| iCCaC | iSLaM | "submission to God" |
Notice that the resulting words have a meaning that relates to peace. The vowels that form the transfix add meaning to the root.
Some patterns add consonants as well as vowels to the root. You can see this in this example from Modern Hebrew.
The root GDL in Hebrew means to grow.
Some patterns that can apply to this root include both consonants and vowels.
Applying these patterns to the root GDL results in these words.1
| Pattern | Applied to Root GDL | Meaning in English |
| CaCaC | Gadal | "to grow" |
| miCCaC | Migdal | "tower" |
| haCCaCa | Hagdala | "enlargement" |
Just like in the Arabic example, you can see that the meaning of the resulting words relates to the meaning of the root. The transfix adds meaning to the base and contributes to the overall purpose of the word.
Sign up for free to gain access to all our flashcards.
How do you use a transfix in a sentence?
The transfix applies a pattern to the root of a word. The word Salaam (meaning peace be upon you) is built by applying the pattern CaCaaC to the root SLM (meaning peace).
What is the origin of transfix?
Transfixes appear in Semitic languages, spoken throughout North Africa and Northwestern Asia. The most widely-spoken Semitic languages are Arabic and Hebrew, but the family also includes Maltese, Amharic, Tigrinya, Tigré, and Aramaic.
What part of speech is a transfix?
A transfix is a bound morpheme, meaning that it can't stand alone as a complete word. It is also a discontinuous affix, meaning that it is divided into multiple pieces when applied to a base word.
What is a transfix in linguistics?
A transfix is an affix spread throughout a word's base.
What does transfix mean in reading?
Transfixes appear in Semitic languages like Hebrew and Arabic. The root of the word is a sequence of consonants (like SLM), and the transfix is a pattern of vowels and other sounds that appear throughout the root (like the a's in Salaam).
At StudySmarter, we have created a learning platform that serves millions of students. Meet the people who work hard to deliver fact based content as well as making sure it is verified.
Lily Hulatt is a Digital Content Specialist with over three years of experience in content strategy and curriculum design. She gained her PhD in English Literature from Durham University in 2022, taught in Durham University’s English Studies Department, and has contributed to a number of publications. Lily specialises in English Literature, English Language, History, and Philosophy.
Get to know Lily
Gabriel Freitas is an AI Engineer with a solid experience in software development, machine learning algorithms, and generative AI, including large language models’ (LLMs) applications. Graduated in Electrical Engineering at the University of São Paulo, he is currently pursuing an MSc in Computer Engineering at the University of Campinas, specializing in machine learning topics. Gabriel has a strong background in software engineering and has worked on projects involving computer vision, embedded AI, and LLM applications.
Get to know Gabriel