前缀(一):否定、对立与剥夺
一、un-:不、反
本族语前缀 un- 表「不、非」或「做…的反动作」。形容词、动词前均常见,书写不变。
un- “not, reverse”
- unable /ʌnˈeɪbl/ un- + able,不能的。例: She was unable to attend.
- unfair /ˌʌnˈfeə/ un- + fair,不公平的。例: The ruling was unfair.
- unlock /ʌnˈlɒk/ un- + lock,打开锁(反动作)。例: He unlocked the door.
- unhappy /ʌnˈhæpi/ un- + happy,不快乐的。例: He felt unhappy about the result.
- unusual /ʌnˈjuːʒuəl/ un- + usual,不寻常的。例: It was an unusual situation.
- uncover /ʌnˈkʌvə/ un- + cover,揭开(反动作)。例: The report uncovered fraud.
二、in- / im- / il- / ir-:不
拉丁否定前缀 in-,在 b/m/p 前为 im-,在 l 前为 il-,在 r 前为 ir-。
in- / im- / il- / ir- “not”
- incorrect /ˌɪnkəˈrekt/ in- + correct,不正确的。例: The answer was incorrect.
- impossible /ɪmˈpɒsəbl/ im- + possible,不可能的。例: It seemed impossible.
- illegal /ɪˈliːɡl/ il- + legal,非法的。例: The act was illegal.
- irregular /ɪˈreɡjələ/ ir- + regular,不规则的。例: He had irregular hours.
- invisible /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ in- + visible,不可见的。例: The ink was invisible under light.
- indirect /ˌɪndəˈrekt/ in- + direct,间接的。例: She gave an indirect answer.
三、non-:非
拉丁来源 non- 表「非、不」,多用于名词、形容词前,语气中性。
non- “not”
- nonstop /ˌnɒnˈstɒp/ non- + stop,不停的、直飞的。例: We took a nonstop flight.
- nonprofit /ˌnɒnˈprɒfɪt/ non- + profit,非营利的。例: She works for a nonprofit.
- nonsense /ˈnɒnsns/ non- + sense,无意义(的话)→ 胡说。例: That’s complete nonsense.
- nonviolent /ˌnɒnˈvaɪələnt/ non- + violent,非暴力的。例: They used nonviolent protest.
- nonfiction /ˌnɒnˈfɪkʃn/ non- + fiction,非虚构(作品)。例: He reads mostly nonfiction.
四、dis-:不、反、散
dis- 表「不、相反、分离」,多接动词、形容词或名词。
dis- “not, reverse, apart”
- disagree /ˌdɪsəˈɡriː/ dis- + agree,不同意。例: I disagree with that view.
- disappear /ˌdɪsəˈpɪə/ dis- + appear,消失。例: The ship disappeared from view.
- disconnect /ˌdɪskəˈnekt/ dis- + connect,断开。例: Disconnect the cable first.
- dishonest /dɪsˈɒnɪst/ dis- + honest,不诚实的。例: He was accused of being dishonest.
- dislike /dɪsˈlaɪk/ dis- + like,不喜欢。例: She disliked the new policy.
- disable /dɪsˈeɪbl/ dis- + able,使不能 → 使失效、禁用。例: Disable the alarm before entering.
五、de-:下、反、除
de- 表「下、相反、除去」,多接动词。
de- “down, reverse, remove”
- decrease /dɪˈkriːs/ de- + crease(增),使(增)减 → 减少。例: Sales decreased last month.
- defrost /ˌdiːˈfrɒst/ de- + frost,除霜、解冻。例: Defrost the fridge regularly.
- decode /ˌdiːˈkəʊd/ de- + code,解码(反动作)。例: They decoded the message.
- demote /ˌdiːˈməʊt/ de- + mote(移),使(职级)下移 → 降级。例: He was demoted for the error.
- deform /dɪˈfɔːm/ de- + form,使形(状)变坏 → 使变形。例: Heat can deform the plastic.
- defuse /ˌdiːˈfjuːz/ de- + fuse(导火线),除去(引信)→ 拆除引信;缓和(局势)。例: She helped defuse the tension.
六、anti-:反
希腊来源 anti- 表「反对、抗、防」。
anti- “against”
- antibiotic /ˌæntibaɪˈɒtɪk/ anti- + bio-(生)+ -tic,抗(菌)生的 → 抗生素。例: The doctor prescribed an antibiotic.
- anticlockwise /ˌæntiˈklɒkwaɪz/ anti- + clockwise,逆时针的。(英式;美式多用 counterclockwise。)例: Turn the lid anticlockwise.
- antisocial /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃl/ anti- + social,反社会的、不善交际的。例: He was seen as antisocial.
- antifreeze /ˈæntifriːz/ anti- + freeze,防冻(剂)。例: Add antifreeze to the radiator.
- antibody /ˈæntibɒdi/ anti- + body,抗(体)→ 抗体。例: Antibodies fight infection.
七、counter-:对、反
拉丁来源 counter-(来自 contra) 表「相对、对抗」。
counter- “against, opposite”
- counterattack /ˈkaʊntərəˌtæk/ counter- + attack,反攻。例: The army launched a counterattack.
- counteract /ˌkaʊntərˈækt/ counter- + act,对抗(某作用)→ 抵消。例: This drug counteracts the poison.
- counterpart /ˈkaʊntəpɑːt/ counter- + part,对应(的)部分/人 → 对应者、 counterpart。例: He met his French counterpart.
- counterproductive /ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv/ counter- + productive,反(而)有损成效的。例: The measure was counterproductive.
- counterfeit /ˈkaʊntəfɪt/ counter- + feit(做),(与真)相对而做 → 伪造的;赝品。例: They found counterfeit money.
八、a- / an-:无、不
希腊否定前缀 a-(元音前常为 an-)表「无、不」。
a- / an- “not, without”
- amoral /eɪˈmɒrəl/ a- + moral,无道德(观念)的、非道德的。例: The character is amoral.
- atypical /eɪˈtɪpɪkl/ a- + typical,非典型的。例: It was an atypical result.
- anonymous /əˈnɒnɪməs/ an- + onym-(名)+ -ous,无名的 → 匿名的。(见第54章 onym。)例: The donation was anonymous.
- apolitical /ˌeɪpəˈlɪtɪkl/ a- + political,不关心政治的。例: He remained apolitical.
- asymmetry /eɪˈsɪmətri/ a- + symmetry,无对称 → 不对称。例: The design has deliberate asymmetry.
- anaerobic /ˌæneəˈrəʊbɪk/ an- + aerobic,无(需)氧的 → 厌氧的。例: Anaerobic bacteria thrive without oxygen.
九、mis-:误、坏
本族语 mis- 表「错误、不当」。
mis- “wrong, bad”
- misunderstand /ˌmɪsʌndəˈstænd/ mis- + understand,误解。例: I think you misunderstood me.
- mislead /ˌmɪsˈliːd/ mis- + lead,误导。例: The ad could mislead consumers.
- mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ mis- + take,错误(误取)→ 错误;弄错。例: I made a mistake.
- misbehave /ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪv/ mis- + behave,行为不当。例: The child misbehaved at school.
- misplace /ˌmɪsˈpleɪs/ mis- + place,放错(地方)→ 误放、遗失。例: I misplaced my keys.
十、mal-:坏
拉丁 mal- 表「坏、恶、不良」。
mal- “bad, ill”
- malfunction /ˌmælˈfʌŋkʃn/ mal- + function,功能失常。例: The engine malfunctioned.
- malnutrition /ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃn/ mal- + nutrition,营养不良。例: Malnutrition affects many children.
- malpractice /ˌmælˈpræktɪs/ mal- + practice,不当行医/执业 → 渎职、 malpractice。例: He was sued for malpractice.
- malice /ˈmælɪs/ mal- + -ice(名词),恶意。例: He acted with malice.
- malignant /məˈlɪɡnənt/ mal- + -ignant(生),恶(性)生的 → 恶性的(如肿瘤)。例: The tumor was malignant.
un- 与 in-/im-/il-/ir-
un- 为本族语,可加在多数形容词、分词及部分动词前:unable, unfair, unlock。 in- 多接拉丁来源词,且随首音变体:在 b, m, p 前为 im-(impossible);在 l 前为 il-(illegal);在 r 前为 ir-(irregular)。同一词根若既有本族语又有拉丁形式,可能分别加 un- 与 in-(如 unequal 与 inequity)。
dis- 与 de-
Dis- 多表「不、反、分离」:disagree, disappear, disconnect。 De- 多表「下、反、除去」:decrease, defrost, decode, demote。二者都可表「反向」,但 de- 更偏「向下、移除」;dis- 更偏「否定、分散」。
十一、小结与下一步
本章串联 10 组否定/对立/剥夺前缀:un- → unable, unfair, unlock, unhappy, unusual, uncover;in-/im-/il-/ir- → incorrect, impossible, illegal, irregular, invisible, indirect;non- → nonstop, nonprofit, nonsense, nonviolent, nonfiction;dis- → disagree, disappear, disconnect, dishonest, dislike, disable;de- → decrease, defrost, decode, demote, deform, defuse;anti- → antibiotic, anticlockwise, antisocial, antifreeze, antibody;counter- → counterattack, counteract, counterpart, counterproductive, counterfeit;a-/an- → amoral, atypical, anonymous, apolitical, asymmetry, anaerobic;mis- → misunderstand, mislead, mistake, misbehave, misplace;mal- → malfunction, malnutrition, malpractice, malice, malignant。下一章为「前缀(二):方向、位置与时间」。