20. Derivational affixes I : forming nouns, adjectives and adverbs
The Laz language is very rich in derivational affixes. But most of them are not a great help to create new words without ambiguity. We show in this chapter the most productive ones.
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20.1. -ale : is added to verbal stem in order to form nouns.
[A] {preverb + stem + -ale}
gelak’idale (FN) “what is pendulous downwards ; earrings”
dolok’idale (AH) “what is pendulous around s.th. ; earrings”
[B] {prevrerb absence marker o- + stem + -ale}
omcvinale (FN) “where one pastures ; pasturage”
okosale “what is used in order to sweep ; broom”
● An exceptional formation : {o- + stem + imperfective aspect marker -um + -ale}
oskumale (FN ~ AH) “where (hens) lay eggs ; laying-place for hens; nest box”
●●● There is an homophonous circumfix that is not productive : {o- + noun + -ale}
okotumale [< kotume](FN ~ ÇX)(AK) “hen-house ; hen-roost”
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20.2. -aşe : is added to verbal stem in order to form nouns.
[A] {preverb + stem + -aşe}
mandre-gamağmalaşe (ÇM) “rake that is used for bringing out cow-dung from cow-shed”
[B] {preverb absence marker o- + stem + -ale}
o3’ilaşe “hook with a bag that is used for gathering fruits”
m3xul-o3’ilaşe “pear-o3’ilaşe”
obazgaşe (ÇM) “column”
pavri-okosaşe (ÇM) “dead-leaf-fork”
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20.3. -epona/ -epuna/ -opona/ -opuna; -lepona/ -lepuna/ -lopuna; -pona/ -puna : is added to noun stem in order to form nouns.
a. [nouns with consonant stem + -epona/ -epuna/ -opona/ -opuna]
b. [some nouns with vowel stem ending by /-a/ + -lepona/ -lopona/ -lepuna/ -lopuna]
c. [nouns with vowel stem (some of which are ending by /-a/) + -pona/ -puna]
I. (PZ ~ ÇX)(AK) The suffix is added to the names of inanimates.
ntxirepona (PZ ~ ÇM) “hazel-grove”
ntxirepuna. (AŞ ~ ÇX) “hazel-grove”
ntxiyopuna. (FN-Ç’enneti) “hazel-grove”
xijilopona (ÇM-Ğvant) “stony place ; pebbly place”
kvalepona (PZ) “stony place ; pebbly place”
kvalopona (ÇM) “stony place ; pebbly place”
kvalepuna (AŞ ~ HP) “stony place ; pebbly place”
kvaepuna (AK) “stony place ; pebbly place”
kvayepuna (ÇX) “stony place ; pebbly place”
mdik’alepona (PZ-Cigetore) “wheat field”
dik’apona (ÇM-Ğvant) “wheat field”
mt’k’alopuna (FN-Ç’enneti) “brushwood of thorny plants”
limxonapona (PZ ~ ÇM) “fern-patch”
limxonapuna (AŞ) “fern-patch”
limxanapuna (FN ~ ÇX) “fern-patch”
II. (PZ-Cigetore)(ÇM-Ğvant)(FN) The suffix is added to the names of creeping animates.
paxarapona (PZ-Cigetore) “place always plenty of toads”
mjvabopuna (FN-Sumla) “place always plenty of toads”
3’i3’ilapona (ÇM-Ğvant) “place always plenty of snake”
3’i3’ilapuna (FN-Sumla) “place always plenty of snake”
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20.4. -oba/ -loba/ -noba
I. (PZ ~ ÇX)(AK) The suffix is added to nouns and adjectives in order to form abstract nouns.
[A] It is added to nouns :
berenoba (PZ) “childhood”
beroba (AH) “childhood”
cumaloba “fraternity”
nusaloba (PZ ~ FN-Ç’anapet) “obligations of new daughter-in-law”
nusalik’oba (FN-Ç’enneti ~ AH) “obligations of new daughter-in-law”
nisalik’oba (HP ~ ÇX)(AK) “obligations of new daughter-in-law”
[B] It is added to adjectives :
vorsinoba (PZ) “goodness”
vrosinoba (ÇM ~ AŞ) “goodness”
vrossinoba (ÇM ~ AŞ) “goodness”
k’ayoba (PZ) “comfort ; serenity”
k’aoba (FN ~ ÇX)(AK) “goodness”
gunz*enoba/ gunzenoba (PZ)(AŞ ~ AH) “length”
gunz*anoba/ gunzanoba (ÇM) “length”
ginz*enoba/ ginzenoba (HP ~ ÇX)(AK) “length”
II. (AK) It is added to the names of plants in order to form nouns.
bincoba “harvest time of rice”
mjoloba “gathering time of mulberry”
mbuloba “gathering time of cherry”
mtxiroba “gathering time of hazel-nuts”
●●● There is a non-productive homophonous suffix that is added to a verbal stem.
xeloba “happyness”
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20.5. (PZ ~ AŞ) -pxe : is added to the clan name of married woman.
I. (PZ ~ ÇM, AŞ-Ok’ordule) It is added to the maiden clan name of the woman.
Emuli-pxe “woman who is born Emuli”
3’ingini-pxe “woman who is born 3’ingini”
Mi-pxe r ? “What is your maiden clan name ?”
II. (AŞ-Ortaalan) It is added to the clan name of the husband of the woman.
Çori-pxe “woman who is married to a Köroğlu”
Loli-pxe “woman who is married to a Loloğlu”
3’ingini-pxe “woman who is married to a 3’ingini”
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20.6. -suzi: is added to nouns (and some pronouns in the postpositional case) in order to form adjective-adverbs. → u-...-e/ u-...-eli
p’at’ila-suzi (PZ) “without fat”
ik’bal-suzi (ÇM) “un fortunate”
cozluği-suzi (AŞ) “without glasses ; without spectacles”
omp’ila-suzi (AŞ) “without rope”
gyozluk-suzi (FN) “without glasses ; without spectacles”
zeyir-suzi (AH) “without venom ; not poisonous”
■ This suffix is accented on the penultimate syllable.
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20.7. u-...-e/ u-...-eli : is added to nouns (and some pronouns in the postpositional case) in order to form adjective-adverbs. → suzi
[A] u-...-e
uncire (ÇM) “in want of sleep ; for want of sleep”
ugyozluğe (AH) “without spectacles ; without glasses”
[B] u-...-eli
ugyareli (FN ~ HP) “without food ; starving”
umcumeli (PZ ~ ÇM)(HP) “without salt”
uncumeli (AŞ ~ AH) “without salt”
umky’apeli (AH) “swithout jackal”
umiteli “orphan”
u3’areli (PZ ~ AŞ) “without water ; thirsty”
u3’k’areli (FN ~ ÇX) “without water; thirsty”
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20.8. -uri/ -oyi : is added to place names in order to form adjectives.
Atinuri “native of Pazar”
Art’aşenuri “native of Ardeşen”
Vi3’oyi “native of Fındıklı”
Arkaboyi “native of Arhavi”
Xopuri “native of Hopa”
Çxaluri “native of Borçka-İçkale (= Çxala)”
Frankfurturi “native of Frankfurt”
Londranuri “native of London”
● The synonymous suffix {-ayi} is observed in the dialects of Fındıklı-Arhavi in a small number of place names.
Ç’ennetayi “native of Ç’enneti”
Orç’ayi “native of Orç’a”
Lomayi “native of Lome”
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