Definition
An inflectional affix is an affix that:
- expresses a grammatical contrast that is obligatory for its stem's word class in some given grammatical context
- does not change the word class of its stem
- is typically located farther from its root than a derivational affix
- produces a predictable, nonidiosyncratic change of meaning.
Examples
(English)
Here are some examples of grammatical categories that are expressed by inflectional affixes:
- Aspect
- Case
- Modality
- Number
- Person
- Tense
- Voice
Sources 4
- Crystal 1980, 184
- Hartmann and Stork 1972, 112
- Mish 1991, 620
- Bybee 1985, 2, 99