Derivational Structure of the Word. Derivational Bases

The nature, type and arrangement of the immediate constituents of the word are known as its derivational structure. According to their derivational structure words fall into: simplexes (simple, non-derived words) and complexes (derivatives). Complexes are grouped into: derivatives and compounds. Derivatives fall into: affixational (suffixal and affixal) types and conversions. Complexes constitute the largest class of words. Both morphemic and derivational structure of words is subject to various changes in the course of time.

The basic elementary units of the derivational structure of words are: derivational bases, derivational affixes and derivational patterns.

The derivational bases is the part of the word which establishes connections with the lexical unit that motivates the derivative and defines its lexical meaning describing the difference between words in one and the same derivational set. For example, the individual lexical meaning of the words singer, writer. teacher which denote active doers of the action, is signaled by the lexical meaning of the derivational bases: sing-, write-, reach-.

Derivational bases differ from morphological stems both structurally and semantically

Structurally, they fall into 3 classes: 1. bases that coincide with morphological stems (e.g. beautiful (d.b.) - beautifully); 2. bases that coincide with word-forms (e.g. unknown - known); 3. bases that coincide with word groups; adjectives and nouns (e.g. blue-eyed – having blue eyes, easy-going).

· simple stems, which consist of only one constituent, e.g. pocket, motion, retain:

· derived stems girlish

· compound stems match-box letter-writer