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

Lesson 3: How Affixes Change Words

Meaning, Stress, and Pronunciation

You have learned how affixes¹ (prefixes and suffixes) can change a word's meaning or type. But they can also change the word's 'music'—its stress² and pronunciation³. Understanding these changes is a B2-level skill that will make your speaking sound much more natural and clear.

Part 1: Change in Meaning (Review)

This is what you know best. A prefix often changes the meaning to its opposite or adds a new idea.

• possible ➞ impossible (Opposite)
• view ➞ review (Meaning 'again')
• happy ➞ unhappy (Opposite)

Part 2: Change in Word Stress

The stress is the part of the word you say more loudly and clearly. Adding a suffix often moves the stress. Listen carefully to where the stress falls (shown in CAPITAL letters).

• PHOtograph (the noun) ➞ phoTOGrapher (the person) ➞ photoGRAPHic (the adjective)
• EConomy (the noun) ➞ ecoNOMic (the adjective)
• POLitics (the idea) ➞ poliTICian (the person)

Part 3: Change in Pronunciation

Sometimes, adding a suffix changes the vowel sounds in the root word. Listen to the difference in the vowel sound (the bold letters).

• explain (long 'ay' sound) ➞ explanation (short 'a' sound)
• nation (long 'ay' sound) ➞ national (short 'a' sound)
• conspire (long 'eye' sound) ➞ conspiracy (short 'i' sound)

Usage Note: Why Does This Matter?

Why is learning about stress and pronunciation changes so important?

• For Listening: If you are listening for "PHOtograph" but you hear "phoTOGrapher", you might not understand. Recognizing the stress pattern helps you identify the correct word.
• For Speaking: Using the correct word stress is one of the biggest keys to sounding clear and fluent. If you put the stress on the wrong syllable⁴, native speakers may have difficulty understanding you.

Strategy: When you learn a word family, don't just write it. Use the audio 🔊 in an online dictionary and listen to the pronunciation of *each form* of the word.

In Conversation

Srey is practicing her pronunciation with Bora.

Srey: Bora, I'm having trouble with the word family for 'politics'.

Bora: How so?

Srey: I know a politician is a person. But when I say the adjective political, I'm not sure where to put the stress.

Bora: Ah, that's a common issue for B2 learners. The stress changes. Listen: POLitics... poliTICian... poLITical.

Srey: Oh, I hear it now! The 'music' of the word is different. It's like the word 'economy' and 'economic'.

Bora: Exactly! Recognizing that the pronunciation and stress can change with the word form is a really advanced skill.

quiz Check Your Understanding

1. Listen to the word "photographer". Where is the main stress?

• a) On the first syllable (PHO-to-graph-er)
• b) On the second syllable (pho-TOG-ra-pher)
• c) On the third syllable (pho-to-GRAPH-er)

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) On the second syllable (pho-TOG-ra-pher)

2. Which word is the *person* who works in politics?

• a) politics
• b) political
• c) politician

Click to see the answer

Answer: c) politician

3. The vowel sound in "nation" has a long 'ay' sound. What happens to that sound in "national"?

• a) It stays the same.
• b) It becomes a short 'a' sound.
• c) It becomes a long 'i' sound.

Click to see the answer

Answer: b) It becomes a short 'a' sound (na-shun-al).

edit Your Mission

1. Listen and Repeat: Find the word "operate" in an online dictionary. Listen to the pronunciation. Now find the word "operation". Listen to its pronunciation. Say both words aloud. Can you hear how the stress moves?
2. My Word Family: Take the word "compete" (verb). Find the noun for the person, the noun for the event, and the adjective. Write them down and listen to the pronunciation of each one.
3. Speak: Your mission is to use two words from the 'photo' family in a conversation. (e.g., "I like taking photos. My brother wants to be a professional photographer.")

book Lesson Glossary

1. Affix (noun) - Khmer: បច្ច័យបទ - A general term for a prefix or a suffix. ↩
2. Stress (noun) - Khmer: សង្កត់សំឡេង - The emphasis given to a particular syllable or word in speech. ↩
3. Pronunciation (noun) - Khmer: ការបញ្ចេញសំឡេង - The way in which a word is spoken. ↩
4. Syllable (noun) - Khmer: ព្យាង្គ - A unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound. The word 'teacher' has two syllables: tea-cher. ↩