Question

Consider the following data from English. Which linguistic change(s) is/are associated with the addition of the suffix ‘-able’?

• A. sociolinguistic change
• B. grammatical category change
• C. semantic change
• D. typological change

Hint:

The addition of affixes like “-able” typically involves grammatical category and meaning changes. Understanding these changes helps in analyzing word formation and morphology.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, C

Step 1: Understanding the data.
The suffix “-able” is added to a verb to form an adjective. For example, “readable” is the adjective formed from the verb “read.” This is a case of grammatical category change, as the word shifts from a verb to an adjective.

Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) Sociolinguistic change: The addition of “-able” is not related to social language change, so this option is incorrect.
- (B) Grammatical category change: The suffix “-able” indeed changes the grammatical category from verb to adjective, making this option correct.
- (C) Semantic change: The addition of “-able” also leads to a shift in meaning, such as the verb “read” becoming “readable,” which refers to something that can be read. Thus, this option is correct.
- (D) Typological change: This suffix does not represent a typological change in the language structure, so this option is incorrect.

Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answers are (B) grammatical category change and (C) semantic change.