What a prefix can do
Recognise several possible contributions from one verbal prefix.
A prefix may add spatial direction, create a bounded event, change lexical meaning, alter argument structure, or combine several effects.
- Spatial contribution.
- Aspectual boundedness.
- Lexical change.
- Argument-structure change.
| Prefix | Spatial anchor | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| в-/во- | into | Meaning depends on base and construction |
| вы- | out | Can develop non-spatial lexical senses |
| при- | arrival / attachment | Not a single English translation |
| у- | departure / removal | Aspect and lexical meaning can combine |
| пере- | across / transfer | Can also mean redo or excess |
| по- | start / limited duration / motion | Several construction-specific meanings |
Mini-check