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Lesson Five — Derivations

The one-letter ending of a word denoting its part of speech (–o for a noun, –i for an infinitive, –a for an adjective, or –e for an adjective) can be changed to one of the others to form a different part of speech.  Not all such changes are meaningful or easily understood, but when the meaning is clear and useful, this is a very productive means of word formation.

Here are some nouns converted to other parts of speech.  When a noun naming a thing is used as an adjective, it means “of or like” the thing.  As an adverb, it means “by means of” the thing.  As a verb, it means “to use or behave as” the thing.

Noun Adjective Adverb Verb
lun/o
  = moon		 lun/a
  = lunar		    
pork/o
  = pig		 pork/a
  = porcine, piggish		 pork/e
  = piggishly		 pork/i
  = to be piggish
telefon/o
  = telephone		 telefon/a
  = telephonic		 telefon/e
  = telephonically		 telefon/i
  = to phone
milit/o
  = war		 milit/a
  = military		 milit/e
  = militarally		 milit/i
  = to wage war
pilot/o
  = pilot		     pilot/i
  = to pilot

Here are some verbs converted to other parts of speech.  When a verb naming an action is used as a noun, it means “an instance of” the action.  As an adjective, it means “having to do with” the action.  As an adverb, it means “by means of” the action.

Verb Noun Adjective Adverb
son/i
  = to sound		 son/o
  = a sound		 son/a
  = sonic		 son/e
  = by sound
fin/i
  = to finish		 fin/o
  = an end		 fin/a
  = final		 fin/e
  = finally
dir/i
  = to say		 dir/o
  = a saying		    
cel/i
  = to aim		 cel/o
  = a goal		    

Here are some adjectives converted to other parts of speech.  When an adjective naming a quality is used as an adverb, it means “in a manner” of that quality.  As an verb, it means “to be or have” that quality.  As a noun, it names the quality.

Adjective Adverb Verb Noun
klar/a
  = clear		 klar/e
  = clearly		 klar/i
  = be clear		  
rapid/a
  = quick		 rapid/e
  = quickly		 rapid/i
  = be quick		 rapid/o
  = a speed
bel/a
  = beautiful		 bel/e
  = beautifully		 bel/i
  = be beautiful		  
silent/a
  = silent		 silent/e
  = silently		 silent/i
  = be silent		 silent/o
  = a silence
fort/a
  = strong		 fort/e
  = strongly		 fort/i
  = be strong		 fort/o
  = a strength
simil/a
  = similar		 simil/e
  = similarly		 simil/i
  = be similar		  

Esperanto has two kinds of adverbs:

Primative adverbs can have words derived from them, but these are not as common as adverbs derived from other words.  Here are a few examples, though:

Adverb Adjective Verb
nun
  = now		 nun/a
  = present		  
nur
  = only, merely		 nur/a
  = mere		  
tuj
  = immediately		 tuj/a
  = immediate		  
ne
  = no, not		 ne/a
  = negative		 ne/i
  = deny
hodiaŭ
  = today		 hodiaŭ/a
  = modern-day		  
baldaŭ
  = soon		 baldaŭ/a
  = up-coming		  

Word-building this way, by changing one part of speech to another, enables Esperanto to have a rich vocabulary without having a large root vocabulary, that is, a vocabulary of basic roots, or meaningful parts of words.

Questions or suggestions?  Please write, and I’ll get back to you.

Kopirajtita © MMVI Steve MacGregor