Let's compile a list of words that include a prefix and a root word that have a bias towards some position, that lacks either its opposite or neutral (just the base root word, for example) in common use. I'd kind of like to be able to add some of these words and ideas into my lexicon. Maybe we "coin" something that sticks and becomes part of the vernacular. I'm going to do this in another forum and will compare lists to see who's cooler.

Examples:
Overwhelmed - Underwhelmed; whelming.
Inevitable - evitable.
Dyslexic - lexic.

Disgruntled. Never hear of gruntled employees, do ya?

Not sure if I can participate in english language.

(January 29, 2013 at 7:13 pm)The_Germans_are_coming Wrote: Not sure if I can participate in english language.

Me neither. XD

Unterbewertet - Überbewertet - bewertet/bewerten

(underrated - overrated -rate/rated)

could work when the translated word is equal in it`s use in the grammer of both languages.

I'd have to say, currently, the other forum won this one hands down. Here's their list:

Inept/adept - Ept
Inert - Ert, Adert
Extricate - Intricate (verb, pronounced in-tri-CATE)
Submit - Mit, Supermit
Engulf - gulf, exgulf
Inhale, exhale - hale
Preliminary - liminary, postliminary
Predict - dict, postdict

I think it might be fun to try and come up with suitable definitions for these "words." I might give that a spin soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IngvNUaWvck

There ya go. Someone has even written a song about the topic.

Bound root morphemes ftw?

Ahaha. I don't know what that last sentence means, but the video is perfect! Thanks. Excellent harmonies as well.

(January 31, 2013 at 8:45 pm)Golbez Wrote: Ahaha. I don't know what that last sentence means, but the video is perfect! Thanks. Excellent harmonies as well.

disgruntled

'gruntle' is a bound root morpheme. It's the root of a word, but can't exist alone without prefixes/suffixes (it's bound). It's a morpheme (can't be broken down further meaning wise, it's the smallest unit of meaning). 'Disgruntled' has 3 morphemes. 'dis-' 'gruntle' and '-ed'

Look up 'list of bound root morphemes.' That's how you'd find a comprehensive list of that particular type of word (which is part of what you were after).

edit:Unpaired word seems to be the term for words without it's opposite.
edit 2: lexic isnt the root of dyslexic, lexia would be I'm fairly sure.