stif(a): step-: Indicates that the person spoken of is a relative only through the second marriage of a parent and is not a relative by blood: stif(a)-filiino, step-daughter stif(a)-matro, step-mother.
Note : The prepositions en, ek, for, kun, inter, de, etc. are also used as prefixes, as: en-irar, ek-irar, also some original adverbs, as: plu- alt-igar, plu-bel-igar
Appendix - Suffixes
-ach-: imparts a pejorative (contemptuous, disparaging) sense to the composed word: hund-acho, cur; infant-acho, brat; medik-acho, quack; parol-ach-ar, tojabber, prate; rid-(et)-achar, to giggle; dolc-acha, sickly sweet, mawkish.
-ad-: added to verbal roots to denote the repetition or continuation of the act: parol-adar, to speak (at length); salt-adar, to keep jumping.
Note: The following examples show the distinction between -ado and -o: pafar, to shoot; pafo a single shot; paf-ado signifies a repeated discharge, a volley; from fraper, to strike, we get frap-o, a single blow; frap-ado, a beating.
-ag-: (the root of the verb ag-ar, to do, acct) used with the names of instruments and the like to indicate the action done with the instrument: martel-agar, to hammer; buton-agar, to button; kanon-agar (or pafar), to shoot a cannon; manu-agar, to handle; kruc-agar, to crucify.
Note: This suffix is necessary because if such word were verbalized by direct derivation (using simply -ar), the substantive inversely derived from the verb would logically refer to the act, not the instrument (to the hammering, buttoning, not to the hammer(s), button(s). By using the separate suffix (-ag-), the substantive of the act is martel-ag(ad)o, buton-ag(ad)o, and the primitive words: martelo, butono refer to the instruments.
-aj-: with nouns and adjectives: it denotes an object possessing the
quality of, or made out of, the material expressed by the original word: mol-ajo, a soft material or object; bel-ajo, a beautiful object; lign-ajo, something made of wood, woodwork. It may also denote an act: amik-al-ajo, an act of friendship ; infant-al- ajo, a childish act. With transitive or mixed verbs, it has a passive sense, referring to the object, and being identical with -ata- or -ita-: send-ajo, (send-ata, send-ita), something sent; chanj-ajo (chanj-ato, chanj-ita), something (which is) changed; manj-ajo, something eaten ; (cf. -ur). With intransitive verbs: it has an active sense and is equivalent to -anta-: rept-ajo, something which creeps (rept-ero is a preferable form); exist-ajo, something existing.
Note (1): With transitive verbs the active sense is ordinarily
expressed by -iv-, as : garnis-ar (tr.) to garnish, embellish; garnis-ivo is then something which embellishes; garnis-ajo would refer to the object embellished ; orn-ivo is something which ornaments, an ornament; orn-ajo, would refer to something (which is) ornamented, not the ornament itself. Note (2) : In this connection it may be said that the suffixes -iv- and -em- have essentially an active sense; while -ebl-, -ind-, -end-, have an essentially passive meaning.
With nouns, it denotes: relating to, pertaining to, appropriate to: autun-o, autumn; autun-ala, autumnal; rej-o, king, queen; rej-ala, royal; nacion-ala, national; sexu-ala, sexual. It is frequently equivalent to the genitive : aquo di river-o = river-ala aquo. As a practical rule: an adjective in -ala is appropriate wherever it can be replaced by the genitive of the substantive it is derived from: riverala = di rivero.
Note (1): -al- should not be appended to proper names to form adjectives; dramati da Shakespeare, Shakespearean dramas. The use of -al would signify dramas relating to or analogous to those of Shakespeare.
Note (2) : Difference of meaning and use between -a and -ala: -a is the primary grammatical final of the great class of words which fundamentally express quality: blu-a, simpl-a, facil-a. It carries the signification of: which is..., who is...; consequently, blu-a, (which is) blue; simpl-a, (what is) simple; facil-a ago, an act which is easy. Added to nominal roots denoting a substance it has the same meaning: marmor-a statuo, a statue made of marble, which is marble; or-a vazo, a (made of) gold vase; aqu-a voyo, a water-way (a way composed of water). The suffix -ala is the ordinary adjectival termination appended to that large class of roots which are nouns in their fundamental significance. It expresses the idea: pertaining to, relative to, as we find it used in thousands ofEnglish words. (except where the adjective is used to denote a substance out of which a thing is made, composed of, as in marmor-a, or-a, aqu-a). We therefore say: puer-ala ago, a childish act, an act appropriate or suitable to a child, (not puer-a ago, which could only logically signify: an act which is a child!); aqu-ala ludi, water sports, sports relating to, pertaining to water (not aqu-a ludi, which could only mean: sports made of water!). nacion-ala legi, national laws, (nacion-a legi can only mean: laws which are a nation!); on the other hand, an aqu-a voyo, a
water-way (as a canal), widely differs from an aqu-oza voyo, a way (road) full of water (puddles). Note that where there is a composed word, such as: internacion-a, the adjective form is always in -a, not -ala: the idea being that the first part of the composed word (inter-) sufficiently indicates the relationship. Also after roots compounded with sen- the -a is always used, not -ala, -oza,: sen-esper-a, hopeless, not sen-esper-oza !; sen-viva korpo, a lifeless body.
-an-: denotes a member, inhabitant, partisann, adherent, as: senat-ano, senator; vilaj-ano, villager; eklezi-ano, a church member.
-ar-: denotes a collection, group, set (of oobjects or beings). It is to be generally understood as referring to the most extensive collective; hom-aro means humanity, not a group of persons; (cf. Talmey's Text Book, p. 42). However, this suffix is quite frequently found to be used vaguely for any group of persons or collection of objects.
-ari-: indicating the object of an action, the recipient of an action or one upon whom a right, especially legal, is conferred. In many cases, it corresponds to the English suffix -ee: pag-ario, payee ; grant-ario, grantee; don-ario, donee.
-atr-: like (-ish); of the nature of, or having nearly the same
appearance, qualities or characteristics; similar: flava, yellow;
flav-atra, yellowish; sponj-o, sponge: sponj-atra, spongy; metal-
atra, metallic; used ordinarily with non-verbal roots, and
referring to things, not persons (cf. -em-).
Note : The root simil- is used in the same sense as -atr-. The
golden era ofjazz.: L'epoko or-atra dijazo. L'epoko or-simila di
jazo.
-e-: colored, having the color of: or-o, gold; or-ea: golden; lakt-o, milk; lakt-ea : milk-colored; sang-o, blood; sang-ea: blood-colored; (sango-koloro: blood-color).
-ebl-: like -able, -ible; added to transitive verbal roots to express
possibility. It has an essentially passive sense (cf. -iv-): vid-ar, to see; vid-ebla, visible; rupt-ar, to break; rupt-ebla, breakable; kred-ebla, credible.
-ed-: contents of; (-ful); denotes the quantity which fills something or (with verbal roots) the quantity determined by the nature of the act: glas-o, a glass; glas-edo, a glassful; manu-o, a hand; manu- edo, a handful; glut-ar, to swallow, glut-edo, a swallow (quantity determined by the act of swallowing); pinch-ar, to pinch; pinch- edo, a pinch, a nip (quantity determined by the act of pinching or grasping with finger tips).
-eg-: denoting augmentation, intensity, a higher or extreme degree: pluv-o, rain; pluv-ego, a downpour or torrent of rain; varm-a, warm; varm-ega, hot; grand-ega, immense, very big. It is possible to use this suffix also with verbal roots. manj-eg-ar = to hugely eat, to devour. The students burst into laughter. La studenti rid-eg-eskis.