The Semantics of English Negative Prefixes

Focusing on the semantic properties of negative prefixes in English, this book introduces a new system to differentiate between negative words that share the same base but have different prefixes, such as amoral vs. immoral. It serves as both a reference for understanding the derivation of negative words and for clarifying their usage. By employing cognitive theories related to category, domain, and construal, it highlights the meaning differences through real-world examples and collocations, enhancing readers' comprehension of these linguistic nuances.