The idea of parasynthesis is used in the field of grammar . It comes from the Greek parasýnthesis , which was formed with the prefix “para-”, meaning “together” or “against”, and with the noun “synthesis”, which is synonymous with “composition” and, similarly, with “synthesis”.
The term refers to the procedure that allows words to be formed through the simultaneous intervention of prefixation and suffixation , or composition and derivation .
Word formation is carried out through different morphological processes that use morphemes : the minimum units of meaning. In the case of parasynthesis, the action develops from the union of two or more morphemes.
A parasynthetic word is created by linking compound words and derived words with prefixes and suffixes . Compound words associate two terms to create a different meaning (such as “handball” , for example). Derived words, meanwhile, are primitive words with prefixes or suffixes (from “vegetable” to “greengrocer” ).
Parasynthesis, therefore, works with at least two non-primitive words. This is the case of “treintañero” (treint-añ-ero), “amarronado” (a-marron-ado) and “submarino” (sub-mar-ino), to name a few.
Parasynthesis can be said to be a complex process of word formation. A parasynthetic word is not constructed solely by prefixation or suffixation from existing words.
One method of parasynthesis involves simultaneous prefixation and suffixation, as in “emblanquecer” or “barriobajera” . The other mechanism appeals to composition and derivation: “parachutist” , “beggar” .
We must establish that, therefore, the only characteristic shared by parasynthesis and derived words is that in the process of word formation both morphemes and lexemes become relevant.
However, apart from that, the process of creating terms through parasynthesis is much more complex than that of derivatives. Both the derived words and the compound words also play a leading role in this process.
As can be seen, parasynthesis enriches language , just like the rest of the processes that allow us to create words. Thanks to its operation, new terms emerge that help to name different issues and realities.
Among the verbs that have been given form by means of parasynthesis we can highlight some such as spell, thin, head, dehead, ennoble, rejuvenate, sponsor or wallpaper. On the other hand, among the adjectives that have been created by means of this procedure that concerns us we can highlight some such as decaffeinated, enriching, orange, grumpy, endless, childish, reddened, frightened or even beggar.
In addition to the examples cited, we can establish that there are also other nouns formed through parasynthesis, such as, for example, stonecutter, motorist, eccentricity, reduction, umbrella stand, moon landing or binding.
There is a trick, so to speak, that serves to know if a word is parasynthetic. Thus, during the corresponding morphological analysis, if the prefix or suffix is removed and it loses its meaning, it is clear that it is. On the contrary, this does not happen with the aforementioned derivatives.