(_c_). Prefixes, roots, and grammatical terminations.
(_d_). Prefixes, roots, suffixes, and grammatical terminations.
46. Order of Suffixes.--The grammatical terminations, _A_, _E_, _I_, _O_, _U_, _AS_, _IS_, _OS_, _US_, showing the part of speech and mood and tense of verbs, must end all words (except some of the primary words), the accusative _N_ or plural _J_ being added if required. Suffixes precede this termination in their natural order. For instance, if we want to say "a tiny female kitten," we commence with the root kat-, giving the idea only of "cat" ; then add -id- (suffix for "offspring of") kat-id- = _kitten_; then -in- (female suffix) kat-id-in- = _kitten female_; then -et- (diminutive suffix) kat-id-in-et- = _kitten female tiny_; we have now got the root and all the suffixes, and we might make the word an adjective by adding _A_, but we want a noun, so add _O_; kat-id-in-et-o = _a tiny female kitten_. If we place -et- after kat-, we commence by speaking of a "tiny cat," for kateto has that meaning, so katetidino would be the "female offspring of a tiny cat." If we reversed the three suffixes, we should get kat-in-et-id-o = _offspring of a tiny female cat_. This exaggerated example of building up suffixes will show the importance of placing them in their natural order. The student cannot make a mistake if he commences with the root and forms a word of each suffix in succession; for instance, hund-o = _a dog_, hund-id-o = _a puppy_, hundid-in-o = _a female puppy_, hundidin-eg-o = _a huge female puppy_.
47. Order of Prefixes.--In like manner prefixes must come in their natural order, as:--Sano = _health_, mal-sano = _illness_, re-mal-sano = _a return of illness_, _a relapse_.
48. Order of roots in compound words.--The principal root is always placed last, and receives the grammatical termination, with or without a suffix. The root of a subordinate word is sufficient without any suffix.
Examples.--_Ĉas-gard-ist-o_ = A gamekeeper, (_ĉasi_ = to hunt, _ĉas-aĵo_ = a thing hunted, game; but it is unnecessary to add the suffix _-aĵ-_ to the subordinate root). _Roz-kolora_ = Rose coloured. _Skrib-tablo_ = Writing table. _Lerno-libro_ = Instruction book, manual (_lern-o_, the root, made a full word for euphony). Compare: _librolerno_, book-learning. _Tir-kesto_ = A drawer (_tir-i_ = to draw, _kesto_ = a chest). _Lum-turo_ = Lighthouse (_lum-i_ = to shine, _turo_ = a tower). _Lip-haroj_ = Moustache (_lip-o_ = a lip, _haroj_ = hairs). _Vang-haroj_ = Whiskers (_vang-o_ = a cheek).