Suppletion

Pronunciation: /səˈpliʃən/

Definitions of suppletion

noun the use of an entirely different word or root for different forms of a given word

Example Sentences

A1 Suppletion is when a word changes completely to show different forms.

A2 In some languages, suppletion is used to create irregular verb forms.

B1 Understanding suppletion can help language learners grasp irregularities in grammar.

B2 The phenomenon of suppletion is prevalent in many languages, making them more complex.

C1 Linguists study suppletion to understand the historical development of languages.

C2 The use of suppletion in language evolution highlights the intricacies of linguistic change.

Examples of suppletion in a Sentence

formal Suppletion is a linguistic phenomenon where an irregular form is used to fill in a gap in a paradigm.

informal I never realized how common suppletion is in English until I started studying linguistics.

slang Who knew that language could have such crazy suppletion going on?

figurative In a way, suppletion is like finding a shortcut in a maze of grammar rules.

Grammatical Forms of suppletion

• past tense: went
• plural: children
• comparative: better
• superlative: best
• present tense: go
• future tense: will go
• perfect tense: have gone
• continuous tense: is going
• singular: child
• positive degree: good
• infinitive: to go
• gerund: going
• participle: gone

Origin and Evolution of suppletion

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'suppletion' originates from the Latin word 'suppletio', which means 'a filling up'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'suppletion' has come to refer to the phenomenon in linguistics where an irregular form of a word is used instead of a regular form, often to indicate a different grammatical category or meaning.