Henika

Hi, hello! I am new here and I need help, taht is why I registered here. Can anyone think of a word with the prefix "dis-" where it changes the word category? I mean, when you add a suffix to a word, its word category changes (teach - v-, teacher - n-). But with prefixes it is not the case. However, there can be something like this with "dis-". Please, can you help me????? I will help all of yo, when you want to.

Thanks

Framboise

Hello again, Henika, and welcome at the language board!

Could you give us an example, or/and tell us where you found that piece of information on words beginning with dis-?

As far as I know, any prefix added to a root changes the meaning.
Words having dis- as a prefix generally refer to an opposite process, quality, or state expressed by the root:
agree - disagree
agreement - disagreement
agreeable - disagreeable

A prefix can usually form nouns, adjectives, verbs, or/and adverbs.

Thus, the category of a word beginning with dis- can be changed as any other word beginning with any other prefix.

e.g.: disagree (verb) - disagreement (noun) - disagreeable (adjective) - disagreeably (adverb)

Cheers,

Framboise

Henika

Hi!

So, the phenomenon that I meant was this: if you add teh prefix a- to a noun, like "fire", you get the word "afire" which is not more a noun, but an adverb. And I wanted to know if there is an example of this kind with the prefix "dis-". When I add only the prefix "dis-", can the word category of the root be changed but without adding any suffix. Your example with "disagreement" is a combination of prefixation and suffixation, but I wanted to know, if you can think if aword, where only addition of "dis-" changes the word category.

It is homework that I was given at my unversity AND SO i turned to native speakers or other people studying or thinking of English

Cheers,
Henika

Framboise

Now, I understand better what you mean.
The first words that came into my mind were: affect (verb & noun) <--> disaffect (verb)

affect
1. as a verb means: influence, touch, impress
and:
2. as a noun, it means an emotional state as contrasted to cognition.
s. Affect and effect


Here is a short definition of this psychological term used as a noun:

• Affect (mood) - In psychology, the emotional reactions associated with an experience. - [A Cyclopaedic Medical Dictionary]

• disaffect (verb) - alienate, estrange, wean (Thesaurus)

I hope this helps you further. If I remember other examples, I'll post them here.

Cheers

Framboise

able (adjective) - disable (verb)
Meaning:

• able - capable, qualified, apt
• (to) disable - 1. to deprive of legal right, qualification, or capacity 2. to make incapable or ineffective; synonyms & analogous words: cripple, undermine, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, sap; injure, damage, harm, spoil

charge (verb & noun) - discharge - (verb & noun)
arm (part of the body); arms (weapons) (noun) - disarm (verb): to deprive of means, reason, or disposition to be hostile, to make harmless
card (noun) - discard (verb): to remove a playing card (from one’s hand); cast, shed, scrap, junk à to get rid of
commode [noun (a low chest of drawers) & adjective (suitable, convenient)] - discommode (verb): to cause inconvenience to

en-
able (adj.) - enable (verb)
feeble (adj.): weak - enfeeble (verb): weaken, debilitate
force (noun & verb) - enforce (verb)
franchise (noun) - enfranchise (verb): (to) free, release, liberate, emancipate, manumit, deliver, discharge
danger (noun) - endanger (verb)

NB: Dear Henika, I'm sure you know the words above, but I thought that some of those who are studying English might not know them yet, and that's why I've written their meaning.