Vocabulary: Word Formation & Morphology (B2) - Lesson 3: How Affixes Change Words (Meaning, Stress & Pronunciation)

Word Engineer 🏗️

Shifting Words

ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរទម្រង់ពាក្យ

🧱

ROOT

+

🔧

AFFIX

=

✨

NEW

Adding parts to a word can change its meaning, grammar, or pronunciation.

🔄 Meaning Change (បុព្វបទ)

Un- / Dis-

Makes the meaning negative or opposite.

Example: Unhappy (មិនសប្បាយចិត្ត)
Example: Disagree (មិនយល់ស្រប)

Re-

Means to do something again.

Example: Redo (ធ្វើម្តងទៀត)
Example: Rewrite (សរសេរឡើងវិញ)

⚙️ Grammar Change (បច្ច័យ)

-ness / -ment

Changes an Adjective/Verb into a Noun.

Kind (adj) ➝ Kindness (noun)
Manage (v) ➝ Management (noun)

-ize / -en

Changes a Noun/Adjective into a Verb.

Real (adj) ➝ Realize (verb)
Short (adj) ➝ Shorten (verb)

🎙️ Stress Shift (ការសង្កត់សំឡេង)

When words get longer, the "strong" sound often moves! Listen carefully.

The "Photo" Family

PHO-to-graph

/ˈfoʊtəɡræf/

pho-TOG-ra-phy

/fəˈtɒɡrəfi/

pho-to-GRAPH-ic

/ˌfoʊtəˈɡræfɪk/

The "Economy" Family

e-CON-o-my

/ɪˈkɒnəmi/

e-co-NOM-ic

/ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk/

Builder Quiz 🏗️

Test your word building skills!

Which prefix means "Again"?

Change "Sad" (Adj) to a Noun:

Where is the stress in "Photography"?

Mission 📝

Audio Recorder

Stress Practice

Record yourself saying these 3 word pairs on your phone. Listen back to check the stress!

1. PHOtograph vs phoTOGraphy
(រូបថត vs ការថតរូប)

2. eCONomy vs ecoNOMic
(សេដ្ឋកិច្ច vs នៃសេដ្ឋកិច្ច)

3. POlitics vs poLITical
(នយោបាយ vs នៃនយោបាយ)