Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections

In this article, I examine a relatively little discussed phenomenon which appears to be increasingly prevalent in contemporary English, namely the reduplication of the deverbal -er suffix on phrasal verbs to produce forms such as washer upper, looker outer and asker outer. I look at some of the morp...

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Main Author: Jim Walker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 2009-09-01
Series:Lexis: Journal in English Lexicology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/867
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author Jim Walker
author_facet Jim Walker
author_sort Jim Walker
collection DOAJ
description In this article, I examine a relatively little discussed phenomenon which appears to be increasingly prevalent in contemporary English, namely the reduplication of the deverbal -er suffix on phrasal verbs to produce forms such as washer upper, looker outer and asker outer. I look at some of the morphological, diachronic and sociolinguistic questions which arise, before positing the hypothesis that this reduplication is not a purely morphological phenomenon, but in fact owes a great deal to phonological causes, and in particular euphonic considerations.
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issn 1951-6215
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publisher Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3
record_format Article
series Lexis: Journal in English Lexicology
spelling doaj-art-cba9d3e6c0f84022acf04d571e255fa42025-08-20T03:48:07ZengUniversité Jean Moulin - Lyon 3Lexis: Journal in English Lexicology1951-62152009-09-01110.4000/lexis.867Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflectionsJim WalkerIn this article, I examine a relatively little discussed phenomenon which appears to be increasingly prevalent in contemporary English, namely the reduplication of the deverbal -er suffix on phrasal verbs to produce forms such as washer upper, looker outer and asker outer. I look at some of the morphological, diachronic and sociolinguistic questions which arise, before positing the hypothesis that this reduplication is not a purely morphological phenomenon, but in fact owes a great deal to phonological causes, and in particular euphonic considerations.https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/867morphologyphonologyeuphonyphrasal verbssuffixationreduplication
spellingShingle Jim Walker
Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
Lexis: Journal in English Lexicology
morphology
phonology
euphony
phrasal verbs
suffixation
reduplication
title Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
title_full Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
title_fullStr Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
title_full_unstemmed Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
title_short Double -er suffixation in English: morphological, phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
title_sort double er suffixation in english morphological phonological and sociolinguistic reflections
topic morphology
phonology
euphony
phrasal verbs
suffixation
reduplication
url https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/867
work_keys_str_mv AT jimwalker doubleersuffixationinenglishmorphologicalphonologicalandsociolinguisticreflections