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Chapter 4. Measuring affix rivalry as a gradient relationship

  • Justine Salvadori , Rossella Varvara and Richard Huyghe
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Competition in Word-Formation
This chapter is in the book Competition in Word-Formation

Abstract

In many languages, affixes can be used to derive words with the same semantic types and can therefore compete in word formation. This paper discusses how to quantitatively assess the competition between derivational affixes based on their semantic similarity. Two possible measures of affix rivalry drawn from studies in ecology are examined: the Sørensen index, which considers the proportion of shared functions between rival affixes; and the Percentage similarity coefficient, which is based on the realization frequency of functions. Two complementary measures (Balanced richness and Balanced abundance) are also proposed to further analyze the semantic dissimilarity between rival affixes. Using the semantic competition between six French deverbal suffixes as a case study, we show how these four measures suit the quantification of affix rivalry and help capture different aspects of the phenomenon.

Abstract

In many languages, affixes can be used to derive words with the same semantic types and can therefore compete in word formation. This paper discusses how to quantitatively assess the competition between derivational affixes based on their semantic similarity. Two possible measures of affix rivalry drawn from studies in ecology are examined: the Sørensen index, which considers the proportion of shared functions between rival affixes; and the Percentage similarity coefficient, which is based on the realization frequency of functions. Two complementary measures (Balanced richness and Balanced abundance) are also proposed to further analyze the semantic dissimilarity between rival affixes. Using the semantic competition between six French deverbal suffixes as a case study, we show how these four measures suit the quantification of affix rivalry and help capture different aspects of the phenomenon.

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Towards a competition-based word-formation theory 1
  4. Part 1. Competition in affixation
  5. Chapter 2. A lexicalist approach to affixal rivalry and its explanatory basis 34
  6. Chapter 3. Actional nominalization in Present-Day English in the light of the Referenced Index of Competition 72
  7. Chapter 4. Measuring affix rivalry as a gradient relationship 104
  8. Chapter 5. Exploring linguistic competition in English derivatives ending in ‑ ie and ‑ o through a cognitive-onomasiological approach 139
  9. Chapter 6. Diminutive formation in Modern Greek 176
  10. Part 2. Macro-level competition, the lexicon and its interfaces
  11. Chapter 7. Competition between affixation and conversion in Present-Day English denominal verbs 208
  12. Chapter 8. A diachronic perspective on competition in denominal verb formation in Italian 247
  13. Chapter 9. Competition of lexicon vs. pragmatics in word formation 275
  14. Chapter 10. [N1 + N2], [N + A], and [N1 + de + N2] 297
  15. Chapter 11. Revisiting Poser’s (1992) “Blocking of phrasal constructions by lexical items” from the perspective of the economy of language use principle 326
  16. Index 351
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.284.04sal

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Towards a competition-based word-formation theory 1
  4. Part 1. Competition in affixation
  5. Chapter 2. A lexicalist approach to affixal rivalry and its explanatory basis 34
  6. Chapter 3. Actional nominalization in Present-Day English in the light of the Referenced Index of Competition 72
  7. Chapter 4. Measuring affix rivalry as a gradient relationship 104
  8. Chapter 5. Exploring linguistic competition in English derivatives ending in ‑ ie and ‑ o through a cognitive-onomasiological approach 139
  9. Chapter 6. Diminutive formation in Modern Greek 176
  10. Part 2. Macro-level competition, the lexicon and its interfaces
  11. Chapter 7. Competition between affixation and conversion in Present-Day English denominal verbs 208
  12. Chapter 8. A diachronic perspective on competition in denominal verb formation in Italian 247
  13. Chapter 9. Competition of lexicon vs. pragmatics in word formation 275
  14. Chapter 10. [N1 + N2], [N + A], and [N1 + de + N2] 297
  15. Chapter 11. Revisiting Poser’s (1992) “Blocking of phrasal constructions by lexical items” from the perspective of the economy of language use principle 326
  16. Index 351
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