1.

Definition of Derivation

In morphology, derivation is defined as the process of creating new lexemes, which will change
the syntactic category (part of speech) of a base by adding prefix or suffix. The term derivation is
used for all aspect of word-structure involving affixation that is not inflectional. Essentially,
derivational morphology can take a word from any one of the three categories verb, noun,
adjective, and return to another.

On the one hand, derivational may be distinguished from inflectional morphology, which
typically does not change category but rather modifies lexemes to fit into various syntactic
contexts. Derivation also may be distinguished from compounding, which also creates new
lexemes, but by combining two or more bases rather than by affixation.

1.1 Derivation Versus Inflection

Either derivation or inflection may be effected by formal means like affixation. But derivation
serves to create new lexemes while inflection prototypically serves to modify lexemes to fit
different grammatical contexts. In the clearest cases, derivation changes category, for example
taking a verb like teach and making it a noun (teacher) or an adjective (teachable), or taking a
noun like beauty and making it a verb (beautify) or an adjective (beautiful). Of course, not all
derivational affixes change category. In particular, negative affixes like un- or dis- serve merely
to create nouns, adjectives, or verbs that mean the opposite of the nouns, adjectives, or verbs
they're formed from. For example from adjective (interesting) to adjective (uninteresting), from
verb (obey) to (disobey).

1.2 Derivation Versus Compounding

The distinction between derivation and compounding is a formal rather than a functional one.
Both derivation and compounding may be involved in lexeme formation. Compounding,
however, involves the combination of two or more lexemes, which in the prototypical case are
free bases. Derivation involves modification of bases by affixation. Unlike derivation, the
element of compound are all independent words that can be used by themselves (ex,. Doghouse,
Starfish).