Circumfix

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A circumfix is an affix, a morpheme that is placed around another morpheme. Circumfixes contrast with prefixes, attached to the beginnings of words; suffixes, that are attached at the end; and infixes, inserted in the middle. See also epenthesis. Circumfixes are extremely common in Indonesian.

The circumfix is probably most widely known from the German past participle (ge- -t for regular verbs). The verb spielen, for example, has the participle gespielt. Dutch has a similar system (spelen – gespeeld in this case).

In Hebrew, magdelet "magnifier", for example, the root is gdl "big" (in the H-stem hagdel "to enlarge") and the circumfix is m- -et.

In Japanese, some linguists consider o- -ni naru and o- -suru to be honorific circumfixes^[1]; for example yomu → o-yomi ni naru (respectful), o-yomi suru (humble).

In Berber languages the feminine is marked with the circumfix t…t. The word afus (hand) becomes tafust. In Kabyle, θissliθ "bride" derives from issli "groom".

Negation in Guaraní is also done with circumfixes, nd- -i and nd- -mo'ãi for future negations.

In Hungarian, superlative is formed by the circumfix leg...bb. In legnagyobb "biggest", for example, the root is nagy "big" and the circumfix is leg- -bb.