Which affix type adds parts both before and after words?

Which affix type adds parts both before and after words?

• A. Prefixes
• B. Suffixes
• C. Circumfixes
• D. Infixes

Answer: (C)

Circumfixes wrap around a base word, adding pieces on both sides. This means you take a stem and attach one element before it and another after it to form a new word or change its meaning. A familiar example from German shows this pattern: das Verb machen becomes gemacht in the past participle, with ge- in front and -t at the end around the stem mach-; the whole thing is ge- plus mach- plus -t. This is different from prefixes, which only go at the front; suffixes, which only go at the end; and infixes, which insert inside the word. In many languages, circumfixes express grammatical information like tense or aspect by surrounding the base with two affix pieces.

Circumfixes wrap around a base word, adding pieces on both sides. This means you take a stem and attach one element before it and another after it to form a new word or change its meaning. A familiar example from German shows this pattern: das Verb machen becomes gemacht in the past participle, with ge- in front and -t at the end around the stem mach-; the whole thing is ge- plus mach- plus -t. This is different from prefixes, which only go at the front; suffixes, which only go at the end; and infixes, which insert inside the word. In many languages, circumfixes express grammatical information like tense or aspect by surrounding the base with two affix pieces.