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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
linguistics
Why is it that some nouns can be derived into verbs by adding -en suffix, such as black - blacken, fat - fatten
And some nouns can't be with this method, such as green - greenen, free - freeen which both are impossible formations.
And some nouns can't be with this method, such as green - greenen, free - freeen which both are impossible formations.
Top answer
A lot of this kind of thing derives from Old English. But really the forms that survive in a language as it evolves are rather idiomatic. Here is some background information.
- A lot of this kind of thing derives from Old English.
- But really the forms that survive in a language as it evolves are rather idiomatic.
- Here is some background information.
- org/wiki/-en ( 'Free' is not a noun ).
- Clive
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2 Answers
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A lot of this kind of thing derives from Old English. But really the forms that survive in a language as it evolves are rather idiomatic.
Here is some background information. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-en
Here is some background information. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-en
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Green (as well as yellow) is already a verb. It needs no suffix.
Trees green up in the early spring. The leaves yellowed because of lack of water.
Free is also a verb. He freed his prisoners.
-en is added to black and red because they were useful: eg.
Smoke from the forest fire blackened the ceiling. His face reddened.
Words created with the suffix -en wer
Trees green up in the early spring. The leaves yellowed because of lack of water.
Free is also a verb. He freed his prisoners.
-en is added to black and red because they were useful: eg.
Smoke from the forest fire blackened the ceiling. His face reddened.
Words created with the suffix -en wer
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