What Is the Difference Between Inflectional and Derivational Affixes?

Affixes may be derivational or inflectional. Derivational affixes create new words. Inflectional affixes create new forms of the same word. Derivational is an adjective that refers to the formation of a new word from another word through derivational affixes.

What is the difference between derivational and inflectional?

The key difference between inflectional and derivational morphology is that the inflectional morphology deals with the creation of new forms of the same word whereasthe derivational morphology deals with the creation of new words.

What are inflectional affixes?

Definition: An inflectional affix is an affix that: expresses a grammatical contrast that is obligatory for its stem's word class in some given grammatical context. ... produces a predictable, nonidiosyncratic change of meaning.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.