Stem, prefix or prefixoid?

Abstract

Abstract In this study, I parameterize the five tests proposed by Stevens (2005) for characterizing an element as an affixoid and formulate ten criteria for prefixation. Using these criteria, I analyze the morphological status of the initial components of Modern Greek words beginning with pale- and paʎo-. Contrary to Giannoulopoulou’s (1999) analysis of paleo- as a “confix” and paʎo- as a “stem”, I argue that pale- is a stem that has two allomorphic realizations: pale~paʎ. pale- is marked as [+learnèd] and paʎ- as [-learnèd]. While paʎo- historically derives from pale-, it has acquired a distinct morphological status and should now be considered a prefixoid. The ten criteria I present could serve as a model for determining the morphological status of initial elements in other Greek morphological structures and potentially in other languages where this status is ambiguous. Finally, I propose that prefixation in Greek differs from that in word-based languages. In Greek, prefixation is not a case of morphologization; rather, prefixes originate in and remain confined to the morphological domain.