Word-formation in European languages. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Körtvélyessy, Lívia; Štekauer, Pavol; Genči, Ján; Zimmermann, Július
• Is Part Of: Word structure. Volume 11:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 313
• Page End: 358
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: word-formation -- typology -- European languages -- structural richness -- euroversals; Grammar, Comparative and general -- Morphology -- Periodicals; 415
• DOI: 10.3366/word.2018.0132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-1245

Abstract

Abstract : The main goal of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the nature and the role of word-formation systems in a sample of 73 European languages. The basis for the comparison is 100 word-formation features representing 12 word-formation processes. The data is used to examine (a) the structural richness of word-formation systems at the level of individual languages, language genera, families and the linguistic area of Europe, and (b) the parameter of Maximum Feature Occurrence that identifies those word-formation features that are present in all languages under consideration, i.e., in all languages of a genus, a family or a linguistic area of Europe. In the latter case, it identifies the so-called Euroversals. From the diachronic perspective, the paper evaluates the degree of diversification of languages belonging to the same language genus and language family.