( Link here to a further discussion of the suffix "-er").ģ.ěy adding an "-e" to the preterite form ("sprach") to create a feminine noun, "die Sprache" ( language manner of speaking). The plural of the feminine form is of course "-erinnen": "die Sprecherinnen." The plural of these "-er" nouns is the same as the singular: "die Sprecher", "die Lautsprecher", etc. In certain cases, the "-er" can also indicate an instrument: "der Fernsprecher" ( telephone) "der Lautsprecher" ( loudspeaker). There are seven basic ways in which we can turn the verb "sprechen" into a noun:ġ.ěy converting the infinitive into a neuter noun, "das Sprechen," which is equivalent to an English gerund and indicates the act of speaking.Ģ.ěy adding an "-er" or an "-erin" to the stem to indicate a male or female who performs the action ( speaker): "der Sprecher / die Sprecherin." To see some of the possibilities, consider as an example the strong verb "sprechen" and its most common meaning, "to speak." The rules of word-formation also reflect historical arcana, arbitrary conventions, and other kinds of developments that mark human language.īut anyone can recognize the ways in which many thousands of vocabulary items have come into being and thus learn how to understand them more easily.Įxample: Derivations of other words from the verb "sprechen": This does not, however, mean that beginning German-speakers can confidently coin their own words. Many of the derived forms are not found in the dictionary, but their meaning is apparent to anyone acquainted with basic rules of word creation. The patterns in this linguistic kaleidoscope are never repeated."Īnd indeed, whether starting with a verb, a noun, or an adjective, German can add prefixes, suffixes, or other entities to achieve both different parts of speech and new concepts. & bewilderingly enchanting & magnificent - but these, also, like the original fragments you shall see but once, then lose them forever. Turn & turn! The combinations will be infinite, Turn! - up spring your fragmental elements with Ver's & Be's & Ge's & Er's & lein's & chen's & ung's & heit's & keit's & zu's &Ī thousand other flashing and blazing prefixes, affixes & interjections broidered on them or hung to them. "The German language is a dozen fragments of words flung into an octagonal cylinder - take a good look at them before you begin to turn the machine,įor you will never see them in their simplicity again - never never any more. One of its glories is its ability to create new words by combining elements from within its own repertoire. While the German language has always been particularly willing to borrow from other languages to build its vocabulary, Our employees have no control over shortening the set time. Our money-holdings are secured by a time lock.
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