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In linguistics, an agent noun (in Latin, nomen agentis) is a word that is derived from another word denoting an action, and that identifies an entity that does that action.^[1] For example, "driver" is an agent noun formed from the verb "drive".^[2]

Usually, derived in the above definition has the strict sense attached to it in morphology, that is the derivation takes as an input a lexeme (an abstract unit of morphological analysis) and produces a new lexeme. However, the classification of morphemes into derivational morphemes (see word formation) and inflectional ones is not generally a straightforward theoretical question, and different authors can make different decisions as to the general theoretical principles of the classification as well as to the actual classification of morphemes presented in a grammar of some language (for example, of the agent noun-forming morpheme).

Words related to agent noun

Polish agental affixes
-cz	bieg-ać 'to run'	bieg-acz 'runner'
-rz	pis-ać 'to write'	pis-arz 'writer'
-c	†kraw-ać 'to cut'	kraw-iec 'tailor'
-ca	daw-ać 'to give'	daw-ca 'giver'
-k	pis-ać 'to write'	pis-ak 'marker' (pen)
	skak-ać 'to jump'	skocz-ek 'jumper'
	chodz-ić 'to walk'	chodz-ik 'walker' (walking aid)
-l	nos-ić 'to carry'	nos-ic-iel 'carrier'
-nik	pracow-ać 'to work'	pracow-nik 'worker'
	rob-ić 'to do' 'to work' rob-ot-a 'work'	rob-ot-nik 'worker'
	praw-ić 'to orate' 'to moralize' praw-o 'law' praw-y 'right' 'righteous'	praw-nik 'lawyer'
-y	las 'forest' leś-nik 'forester'	leś-nicz-y 'forester'

An agentive affix is commonly used to form an agent noun from a verb. Examples:

English: "-er", "-or", "-ist".
Basque: -le (ikasle "student" from ikasi "learn")
German: -er, -ler, -ner, -or, -ör, -ist, -it, -ite, -ant, -ent (may be compounded with the feminine ending -in)
French: -(t)eur (m.); -(t)euse, -trice, -iste (f.)
Greek: -ήρ, -τήρ
Hungarian: no specific agentive suffix, the nominalization of present participle (suffix: -ó/-ő, according to vowel harmony) is used instead; examples: dolgozó ("worker"), szerelő ("repairman"), vezető ("leader", "driver", "electrical conductor")
Latin: -tor (m.) / -trix (f.) / -trum (n.) / -torius, -a, -um (adj.) as in arator / aratrix /aratrum / aratorius; -sor (m.) / -strix (f.) / -strum (n.) / -sorius, -a, -um (adj.) as in assessor / assestrix / *assestrum / assessorius; see also: -ens
Maori: kai-
Persian: ـنده (-ande): from persent roots; as in گوینده (gūyande; speaker) from گفتن، گوی- (goftan, gūy-; to speak) / ـار (-ār) : from past roots; as in خواستار (x^wāstār; wanter) from خواستن، خواه- (x^wāstan, x^wāh-; to want). / ـگر (-gar): from nouns ; as in کارگر (kārgar; worker) from کار (kār; work)^[3].
Polish: see table
Spanish: -dor(a)
Finnish: -ja/-jä (puhua "speak", puhuja "speaker"; lyödä "hit", lyöjä "hitter"); -uri (borrowed from '-or'/'er', probably via German)
Russian: -чик or -ник (m.) / -чица or -ница (f.) as in ученик "student"; -тель (m.) / -тельница (f.) as in учитель "teacher"^[4]
Dutch: -er, -ende, -or, -iet, -ant
Welsh: -wr (m.), -ores (f.)

References

^ "agent noun". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
^ Panther, Klaus-Uwe; Thornburg, Linda L.; Barcelona, Antonio (2009). Metonymy and metaphor in grammar. Vol. 25. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 101. ISBN 90-272-2379-3.
^ ""Agent noun-اسم فاعل" in Dehkhoda Dictionary". Parsi Wiki. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
^ "Suffixes of Russian Nouns - Examples and Translation of Russian Suffixes". masterrussian.com. Retrieved 2017-02-15.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Words related to agent noun==
 {| class='wikitable' style='font-size: smaller; float: right;'
 |+ Polish agental affixes
-! -cz
+! {{lang|pl|-cz}}
-| bieg-ać 'to run'
+| {{lang|pl|bieg-ać}} 'to run'
-| bieg-acz 'runner'
+| {{lang|pl|bieg-acz}} 'runner'
 |-
-! -rz
+! {{lang|pl|-rz}}
-| pis-ać 'to write'
+| {{lang|pl|pis-ać}} 'to write'
-| pis-arz 'writer'
+| {{lang|pl|pis-arz}} 'writer'
 |-
-! -c
+! {{lang|pl|-c}}
-| †kraw-ać 'to cut'
+| †{{lang|pl|kraw-ać}} 'to cut'
-| kraw-iec 'tailor'
+| {{lang|pl|kraw-iec}} 'tailor'
 |-
-! -ca
+! {{lang|pl|-ca}}
-| daw-ać 'to give'
+| {{lang|pl|daw-ać}} 'to give'
-| daw-ca 'giver'
+| {{lang|pl|daw-ca}} 'giver'
 |-
-! rowspan='3' | -k
+! rowspan="3" | {{lang|pl|-k}}
-| pis-ać 'to write'
+| {{lang|pl|pis-ać}} 'to write'
-| pis-ak 'marker' (pen)
+| {{lang|pl|pis-ak}} 'marker' (pen)
 |-
-| skak-ać 'to jump'
+| {{lang|pl|skak-ać}} 'to jump'
-| skocz-ek 'jumper'
+| {{lang|pl|skocz-ek}} 'jumper'
 |-
-| chodz-ić 'to walk'
+| {{lang|pl|chodz-ić}} 'to walk'
-| chodz-ik 'walker' (walking aid)
+| {{lang|pl|chodz-ik}} 'walker' (walking aid)
 |-
-! -l
+! {{lang|pl|-l}}
-| nos-ić 'to carry'
+| {{lang|pl|nos-ić}} 'to carry'
-| nos-ic-iel 'carrier'
+| {{lang|pl|nos-ic-iel}} 'carrier'
 |-
-! rowspan='3' |-nik
+! rowspan="3" | {{lang|pl|-nik}}
-| pracow-ać 'to work'
+| {{lang|pl|pracow-ać}} 'to work'
-| pracow-nik 'worker'
+| {{lang|pl|pracow-nik}} 'worker'
 |-
-| rob-ić 'to do' 'to work' <br> rob-ot-a 'work'
+| {{lang|pl|rob-ić}} 'to do' 'to work' <br/> {{lang|pl|rob-ot-a}} 'work'
-| rob-ot-nik 'worker'
+| {{lang|pl|rob-ot-nik}} 'worker'
 |-
-| praw-ić 'to orate' 'to moralize' <br> praw-o 'law' <br> praw-y 'right' 'righteous'
+| {{lang|pl|praw-ić}} 'to orate' 'to moralize' <br/> {{lang|pl|praw-o}} 'law' <br/> {{lang|pl|praw-y}} 'right' 'righteous'
-| praw-nik 'lawyer'
+| {{lang|pl|praw-nik}} 'lawyer'
 |-
-! -y
+! {{lang|pl|-y}}
-| las 'forest' <br> leś-nik 'forester'
+| {{lang|pl|las}} 'forest' <br/> {{lang|pl|leś-nik}} 'forester'
-| leś-nicz-y 'forester'
+| {{lang|pl|leś-nicz-y}} 'forester'
 |}
 An '''agentive affix''' is commonly used to form an agent noun from a verb. Examples:
-*English: "-er", "-or", "-ist".
+* English: "-er", "-or", "-ist".
-*Basque: -le (ikasle "student" from ikasi "learn")
+* Basque: {{lang|eu|-le}} ({{lang|eu|ikasle}} "student" from {{lang|eu|ikasi}} "learn")
-*German: -er, -ler, -ner, -or, -ör, -ist, -it, -ite, -ant, -ent (may be compounded with the feminine ending "-in")
+* German: {{lang|de|-er}}, {{lang|de|-ler}}, {{lang|de|-ner}}, {{lang|de|-or}}, {{lang|de|-ör}}, {{lang|de|-ist}}, {{lang|de|-it}}, {{lang|de|-ite}}, {{lang|de|-ant}}, {{lang|de|-ent}} (may be compounded with the feminine ending {{lang|de|-in}})
-*French: -(t)eur([[masculine|m.]])/-(t)euse([[feminine|f.]]), -trice, -iste
+* French: {{lang|fr|-(t)eur}} ([[masculine|m.]]); {{lang|fr|-(t)euse}}, {{lang|fr|-trice}}, {{lang|fr|-iste}} ([[feminine|f.]])
-*Greek: -ήρ, τήρ
+* Greek: {{lang|el|-ήρ}}, {{lang|el|-τήρ}}
-*Hungarian: no specific agentive suffix, the [[nominalization]] of [[present participle]] (suffix: ''-ó/-ő'', according to [[vowel harmony]]) is used instead; examples: ''dolgozó'' (''worker''), ''szerelő'' (''repairman''), ''vezető'' (''leader'', ''driver'', ''electrical conductor'')
+* Hungarian: no specific agentive suffix, the [[nominalization]] of [[present participle]] (suffix: {{lang|hu|-ó/-ő}}, according to [[vowel harmony]]) is used instead; examples: {{lang|hu|dolgozó}} ("worker"), {{lang|hu|szerelő}} ("repairman"), {{lang|hu|vezető}} ("leader", "driver", "electrical conductor")
-*Latin: -tor (m.) / -trix (f.) / -trum (n.) / -torius, -a, -um (adj.) as in ''arator'' / ''aratrix'' / ''aratrum'' / ''aratorius''; -sor (m.) / -strix (f.) / -strum (n.) / -sorius, -a, -um (adj.) as in ''assessor'' / ''assestrix'' / ''*assestrum'' / ''assessorius''; see also: -ens
+* Latin: {{lang|la|-tor}} (m.) / {{lang|la|-trix}} (f.) / {{lang|la|-trum}} (n.) / {{lang|la|-torius}}, {{lang|la|-a}}, {{lang|la|-um}} (adj.) as in {{lang|la|arator}} / {{lang|la|aratrix}} /{{lang|la|aratrum}} / {{lang|la|aratorius}}; {{lang|la|-sor}} (m.) / {{lang|la|-strix}} (f.) / {{lang|la|-strum}} (n.) / {{lang|la|-sorius}}, {{lang|la|-a}}, {{lang|la|-um}} (adj.) as in {{lang|la|assessor}} / {{lang|la|assestrix}} / {{lang|la|*assestrum}} / {{lang|la|assessorius}}; see also: {{lang|la|-ens}}
-*Maori: kai-
+* Maori: {{lang|mi|kai-}}
-*Persian: ـنده (-ande): from persent roots; as in گوینده (gūyande; speaker) from گفتن، گوی- (goftan, gūy-; to speak)   / ـار (-ār) : from past roots; as in خواستار (x<sup>w</sup>āstār; wanter) from خواستن، خواه- (x<sup>w</sup>āstan, x<sup>w</sup>āh-; to want). / ـگر (-gar): from nouns ; as in کارگر (kārgar; worker) from کار (kār; work)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parsi.wiki/fa/wiki/topicdetail/e1e46578abf04cdabe3aa8b782029553|title="Agent noun-اسم فاعل" in Dehkhoda Dictionary|last=|first=|date=|website=Parsi Wiki|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>.
+* Persian: {{lang|fa|ـنده}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|-ande}}): from persent roots; as in {{lang|fa|گوینده}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|gūyande}}; speaker) from {{lang|fa|گفتن، گوی-}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|goftan, gūy-}}; to speak) / {{lang|fa|ـار}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|-ār}}) : from past roots; as in {{lang|fa|خواستار}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|x<sup>w</sup>āstār}}; wanter) from {{lang|fa|خواستن، خواه-}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|x<sup>w</sup>āstan, x<sup>w</sup>āh-}}; to want). / {{lang|fa|ـگر}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|-gar}}): from nouns ; as in {{lang|fa|کارگر}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|kārgar}}; worker) from {{lang|fa|کار}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|kār}}; work)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parsi.wiki/fa/wiki/topicdetail/e1e46578abf04cdabe3aa8b782029553 |title="Agent noun-اسم فاعل" in Dehkhoda Dictionary|last=|first=|date=|website=Parsi Wiki|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>.
-*Polish: see table
+* Polish: see table
-*Spanish: -dor(a)
+* Spanish: {{lang|es|-dor(a)}}
-*Finnish: -ja/-jä (puhua 'speak', puhuja 'speaker'; lyödä 'hit', lyöjä 'hitter');  -uri (borrowed from '-or'/'er', probably via German)
+* Finnish: {{lang|fi|-ja}}/{{lang|fi|-jä}} ({{lang|fi|puhua}} "speak", {{lang|fi|puhuja}} "speaker"; {{lang|fi|lyödä}} "hit", {{lang|fi|lyöjä}} "hitter"); {{lang|fi|-uri}} (borrowed from '-or'/'er', probably via German)
-*Russian: -чик or -ник (m.) / -чица or -ница (f.) as in ''ученик'' 'student'; -тель (m.) / -тельница (f.) as in ''учитель'' 'teacher'<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://masterrussian.com/nounsandcases/suffixes.htm|title=Suffixes of Russian Nouns - Examples and Translation of Russian Suffixes|last=MasterRussian.com|website=masterrussian.com|access-date=2017-02-15}}</ref>
+* Russian: {{lang|ru|-чик}} or {{lang|ru|-ник}} (m.) / {{lang|ru|-чица}} or {{lang|ru|-ница}} (f.) as in {{lang|ru|ученик}} "student"; {{lang|ru|-тель}} (m.) / {{lang|ru|-тельница}} (f.) as in {{lang|ru|учитель}} "teacher"<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://masterrussian.com/nounsandcases/suffixes.htm |title=Suffixes of Russian Nouns - Examples and Translation of Russian Suffixes |website=masterrussian.com |access-date=2017-02-15 }}</ref>
-*Dutch: -er, -ende, -or, -iet, -ant
+* Dutch: {{lang|nl|-er}}, {{lang|nl|-ende}}, {{lang|nl|-or}}, {{lang|nl|-iet}}, {{lang|nl|-ant}}
+* Welsh: {{lang|cy|-wr}} (m.), {{lang|cy|-ores}} (f.)
 == See also ==
@@ Line 83: / Line 79: @@
 ==Further reading==
-*Maria Wojtyła-Świerzowska, ''Prasłowiańskie nomen agentis'' ("Protoslavic Nomen Agentis"), Wroclaw, 1975
+* {{lang|pl|Maria Wojtyła-Świerzowska|italic=no}}, {{lang|pl|Prasłowiańskie nomen agentis|italic=yes}} ("Protoslavic Nomen Agentis"), Wrocław, 1975
-[[Category:Nouns by type]]
 {{ling-morph-stub}}
+[[Category:Nouns by type]]

Revision as of 11:32, 28 April 2019

Words related to agent noun

See also

References

External links

Further reading