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{{Short description|Word that would appear to have a related word but does not}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2010}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2010}}
An '''unpaired word''' is one that, according to the usual rules of the language, would appear to have a related word but does not. Such words usually have a [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]] or [[suffix]] that would imply that there is an [[antonym]], with the prefix or suffix being absent or opposite.
An '''unpaired word''' is one that, according to the usual rules of the language, would appear to have a related word but does not.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mind Your Words Master the Art of Learning and Teaching Vocabulary |date=2013|publisher=Trafford on Demand Pub|author=Injeeli, Prudent |isbn=978-1-4669-9131-6|oclc=850242046}}</ref> Such words usually have a [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]] or [[suffix]] that would imply that there is an [[antonym]], with the prefix or suffix being absent or opposite. If the prefix or suffix is negative, such as 'dis-' or -'less', the word can be called an '''orphaned negative'''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Orphaned negative |website=Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable |url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/brewerphrase/orphaned_negative/0|url-access=subscription|access-date=2021-10-05}}</ref>


Unpaired words can be the result of one of the words falling out of popular usage, or can be created when only one word of a pair is [[Loanword|borrowed]] from another language, in either case yielding an [[accidental gap]], specifically a [[Accidental gap#Morphological gaps|morphological gap]]. Other unpaired words were never part of a pair; their starting or ending [[phoneme]]s, by accident, happen to match those of an existing [[morpheme]], leading to a reinterpretation.
Unpaired words can be the result of one of the words falling out of popular usage, or can be created when only one word of a pair is [[Loanword|borrowed]] from another language, in either case yielding an [[accidental gap]], specifically a [[Accidental gap#Morphological gaps|morphological gap]]. Other unpaired words were never part of a pair; their starting or ending [[phoneme]]s, by accident, happen to match those of an existing [[morpheme]], leading to a reinterpretation.
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The classification of a word as "unpaired" can be problematic, as a word thought to be unattested might reappear in real-world usage or be created, for example, through humorous [[back-formation]]. In some cases a paired word does exist, but is quite rare or archaic (no longer in general use).
The classification of a word as "unpaired" can be problematic, as a word thought to be unattested might reappear in real-world usage or be created, for example, through humorous [[back-formation]]. In some cases a paired word does exist, but is quite rare or archaic (no longer in general use).


Such words – and particularly the back-formations, used as [[nonce word]]s – find occasional use in [[wordplay]], particularly [[light verse]]. There are a handful of notable [[#Examples|examples in modern English]].
Such words – and particularly the back-formations, used as [[nonce word]]s – find occasional use in [[wordplay]], particularly [[light verse]].


==In English==
==In English==
Line 12: Line 13:
! Word
! Word
! Paired word(s)
! Paired word(s)
! Notes
! Notes on paired word
|-
| Awful
| Awless
| Not attested
|-
|-
| Disambiguate
| Disambiguate
| Ambiguate{{efn|name=rare|Words not attested or very rare in English usage.}}
| Ambiguate{{efn|name=rare|Words not attested or very rare in English usage.}}
| Not attested; derived from dis- + ambigu(ous) + -ate in the mid-20th century
| Not attested. ''Disambiguate'' derives from dis- + ambigu(ous) + -ate in the mid-20th century
|-
|-
| Discomfit
| Disgruntled
| Comfit
| Gruntled{{efn|name=joke|Jocular or facetious coinages as intentional [[back-formation]].}}
| Not an antonym. ''[[Comfit]]'' (noun) is a candy comprising a sugar-coated nut or fruit. From Old French ''confit'', from Latin ''confectum'' meaning "put together". ''Discomfit'' probably includes some conflation with ''discomfort''.
| Conscious jocular back-formation, circa 1938
|-
|-
| Disgruntle
|Disgusting
| Gruntle{{efn|name=joke|Jocular or facetious coinages as intentional [[back-formation]].}}
|Gusting
| Humorous back-formation, circa 1938.
|
|-
| Disgusting
| Gusting
| From Latin ''gustāre'' meaning to taste; antonym form appeared in Old French ''desgouster''
|-
|-
| Disheveled, Dishevelled
| Disheveled, Dishevelled
| Sheveled,{{efn|name=rare}} Shevelled{{efn|name=rare}}
| Sheveled,{{efn|name=rare}} Shevelled{{efn|name=rare}}
| Not attested; from the [[Old French]] ''deschevelé''
| Not attested. ''Disheveled'' is from [[Old French]] ''deschevelé.''
|-
| Exasperate
| Asperate
| Synonym. To make rough, a similar connotation to ''exasperate's'' secondary meaning of increasing the intensity of pain.
|-
|-
| Feckless
| Feckless
| Feckful
| Feckful
| Used in Scottish English<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Feckful|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feckful|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Gormless (from ''[[wikt:gaumless|gaumless]]'')
| Gormless
| Gormful
| [[wikt:gaum#Derived_terms|Gaumy]]''
| Form, ''gormful'', does not exist; form, ''gaumy'', is rare and highly region-specific
| Not attested. ''Gormless'' derives from ''[[wikt:gaumless|gaumless]],'' whose antonym [[wikt:gaum#Derived terms|''gaumy'']] is rare and highly region-specific.
|-
| Improvisation
| Provisation
| Not attested, as something created with forethought.
|-
| Impulsive
| Pulsive
| Rare. Means "tending to compel; compulsory".
|-
|-
| Incorrigible
| Incorrigible
| Corrigible
| Corrigible
| Rarely used. It typically describes something abstract, such as a theory, rather than a person.
| Rare. Typically describes the abstract, such as a theory, rather than a person.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
|-
|-
| Indomitable
| Indomitable
| Domitable
| Domitable
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Ineffable
| Ineffable
| Effable
| Effable
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Inert
| Inert
| Ert{{efn|name=rare}}
| Ert{{efn|name=rare}}
| From Latin ''iners'', meaning ''without skill''.
| Not attested. ''Inert'' is from Latin ''iners'', meaning "without skill". The corresponding Latin antonym, ''ars'', is the source of English ''art'', which is not an antonym of ''inert''.
|-
|-
| Inflammable
| Inflammable
| Flammable
| Flammable
| Synonym. From Latin ''flammare'' meaning "to catch fire". ''Inflammable'' is from Latin ''inflammare'' meaning "to cause to catch fire". Antonym is ''nonflammable''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Flammable vs. Inflammable|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/flammable-or-inflammable|access-date=December 12, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster.com dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
| Actually a synonym, both meaning "easily caught on fire" (most common antonym is ''nonflammable''--base word for the former is actually ''inflame'').
|-
| Intrepid
| Trepid
| Rarely used antonym (form ''trepidatious'', with redundant adjective ending, is uncommon but less rare)
|-
|-
| Innocent
| Innocent
| Nocent
| Nocent
| Rare. Means "harmful".
| Not an exact antonym; rarely used
|-
|-
| Innocuous
| Innocuous
| Nocuous
| Nocuous
| Uncommon<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Nocuous|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nocuous|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
| Rarely used antonym (almost entirely replaced by descendant ''noxious'')
|-
| Irritate
| Ritate
| Not attested
|-
|-
| Nonchalant
| Nonchalant
| Chalant
| Chalant
| Not attested
|
|-
| Noncommittal
| Committal
| Not an antonym. ''Committal'' (noun) means "the process of sending someone to a mental institution".<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Committal|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/committal|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Cambridge Dictionary|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>
|-
|-
| Nonplussed
| Nonplussed
| Plussed{{efn|name=joke}}
| Plussed{{efn|name=joke}}
| Not attested. ''Nonplussed'' is from Latin ''non plus'', meaning "no more".<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/nonplussed|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
|
|-
|-
| Nonsensical
| Nonsensical
| Sensical
| Sensical
| Rare. ''Nonsensical'' is derived from ''nonsense''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Nonsense|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonsensical|access-date=January 18, 2022|website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
|
|-
| Off-putting
| Putting
| Not antonyms.
|-
|-
| Overwhelm / Underwhelm
| Overwhelmed
| Whelmed
| Whelm
| From [[Middle English]], ''whelmen'' meaning ''to turn over''<ref>https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-idx?type=id&id=MED52466</ref>.
| From [[Middle English]] ''whelmen'' meaning "to turn over".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-idx?type=id&id=MED52466|title = Whelmen - Middle English Compendium}}</ref> May mean "to moderately impress" in recent usage.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Whelm|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whelm|access-date=2020-12-18|website=Merriam-Webster.com dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|-
| Postpone
| Postpone
| Prepone
| Prepone
| Used in Indian English<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Words We're Watching: Prepone|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/prepone|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
| Only used in Indian English
|-
| Rebuttal
| Buttal
| Not attested
|-
|-
| Reckless
| Reckless
| Reckful
| Reckful
| Not attested
| ''Reck'' (n) meaning ''care'' is archaic
|-
| Repeat
| Peat
| Unrelated in meaning. Means a soil formed of decomposition of plant matter.
|-
| Rueful
| Rueless
| Not attested
|-
|-
| Ruthless
| Ruthless
| Ruthful
| Ruthful
| Rare. Means "full of or causing sorrow".<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Ruthful|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruthful|access-date=December 18, 2020|website=Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary|publisher=Merriam-Webster}}</ref>
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Uncouth
| Uncouth
| Couth{{efn|name=joke}}
| Couth{{efn|name=joke}}
| From [[Old English]] ''cunnan'' meaning ''well-known'' or ''familiar''; rarely used
| Rare. From [[Old English]] ''cunnan'' meaning "well-known" or "familiar".
|-
|Underwhelmed
|Whelmed
|Same paired word as "overwhelmed."
|-
|-
| Ungainly
| Ungainly
| Gainly
| Gainly
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Unkempt
| Unkempt
| Kempt
| Kempt
| Rarely used antonym (replaced by passive participle ''combed'' as ''comb'' replaced ''kemb''; meaning of ''combed'' did not undergo homologous extension to cover grooming and hygiene generally)
| Rare. ''Kempt'' was replaced by passive participle ''combed'' as ''comb'' replaced ''kemb.'' While ''unkempt'' extended to grooming and hygiene generally, ''combed'' did not undergo the same extension. Appears in the form ''well-kempt''.
|-
|-
| Unruly
| Unruly
| Ruly
| Ruly
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|-
| Unscathed
| Scathed
| Rare
|-
|-
| Unstinting
| Unstinting
| Stinting
| Stinting
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|-
|-
| Untoward
| Untoward
| Toward
| Toward
| Not an antonym (''untoward'' evolved from figurative alterations of ''toward'' involving deviation from norms; ''toward'' acquired no homologous figurative meanings)
| Not an antonym. ''Untoward'' evolved from figurative alterations of ''toward'' involving deviation from norms; ''toward'' acquired no similar figurative meanings.
|-
|-
| Unwieldy
| Unwieldy
| Wieldy
| Wieldy
| Rare
| Rarely used antonym
|}
|}
{{noteslist}}


==See also==
==See also==
Line 137: Line 177:
* [[Cranberry morpheme]]
* [[Cranberry morpheme]]
* [[Defective verb]] – other form of lexical gap
* [[Defective verb]] – other form of lexical gap
* [[Eggcorn]]
* [[False cognate]]
* [[False cognate]]
* [[Fossilization (linguistics)]]
* [[Fossilization (linguistics)]]
* [[Polarity item]]

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
*"[http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/unpaired.htm Unpaired words]" at ''World Wide Words''
*"[http://www.2wheels.org.uk/return/absent-antonyms.asp Absent antonyms]" at ''2Wheels: The Return''


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/unpaired.htm "Unpaired words"] at ''World Wide Words''
*[http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/20/messages/136.html Words with no opposite equivalent], posted by James Briggs on April 02, 2003 at The Phrase Finder
*[http://www.2wheels.org.uk/return/absent-antonyms.asp "Absent antonyms"] at ''2Wheels: The Return''
*[http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/brev-is-the-soul-of-wit/ Brev Is the Soul of Wit], [[Ben Schott]], April 19, 2010, 6:08 am
*[http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/20/messages/136.html Words with no opposite equivalent], posted by James Briggs on April 2, 2003, at ''The Phrase Finder''

*[http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/brev-is-the-soul-of-wit/ Brev Is the Soul of Wit], [[Ben Schott]], ''The New York Times'', April 19, 2010
=== Examples ===
* Parker, J. H. "The Mystery of The Vanished Positive" in ''Daily Mail, Annual for Boys and Girls,'' 1953, Ed. French, S. Daily Mail: London pp. 42–43 – article on the topic, ending in a short poem "[http://www.kittybrewster.com/descript.htm A Very Descript Man]" using humorous opposites of unpaired words
* Parker, J. H. "The Mystery of The Vanished Positive" in ''Daily Mail, Annual for Boys and Girls,'' 1953, Ed. French, S. Daily Mail: London pp.&nbsp;42–43 – article on the topic, ending in a short poem {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040311201723/http://www.kittybrewster.com/descript.htm "A Very Descript Man"]}} using humorous opposites of unpaired words
*[http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1994/07/25/1994_07_25_082_TNY_CARDS_000367745 Jack Winter, Shouts & Murmurs, “How I Met My Wife,” ''The New Yorker '', July 25, 1994, p. 82] uses many unpaired words for humorous effect
* Jack Winter, [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1994/07/25/1994_07_25_082_TNY_CARDS_000367745 "How I Met My Wife"], ''The New Yorker'', July 25, 1994, p.&nbsp;82, uses many unpaired words for humorous effect
*[https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1304,00.html Semantic Enigmas: "I once read a nonsense poem that removed the apparently negative prefixes of words like 'inept', 'inert' and 'uncouth' to make new words: 'ept', 'ert' and 'couth'. I've searched for the poem since, but no luck. Can anyone help?"], ''The Guardian'' – cites "Gloss" by [[David McCord]] and "A Dream of Couth" in ''The Game of Words'' by [[Willard R. Espy]]
* [https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-1304,00.html Semantic Enigmas: "I once read a nonsense poem that removed the apparently negative prefixes of words like 'inept', 'inert' and 'uncouth' to make new words: 'ept', 'ert' and 'couth'. I've searched for the poem since, but no luck. Can anyone help?"], ''The Guardian'' – cites "Gloss" by [[David McCord]] and "A Dream of Couth" in ''The Game of Words'' by [[Willard R. Espy]]


[[Category:Linguistic morphology]]
[[Category:Linguistic morphology]]

Latest revision as of 07:26, 16 August 2024

An unpaired word is one that, according to the usual rules of the language, would appear to have a related word but does not.[1] Such words usually have a prefix or suffix that would imply that there is an antonym, with the prefix or suffix being absent or opposite. If the prefix or suffix is negative, such as 'dis-' or -'less', the word can be called an orphaned negative.[2]

Unpaired words can be the result of one of the words falling out of popular usage, or can be created when only one word of a pair is borrowed from another language, in either case yielding an accidental gap, specifically a morphological gap. Other unpaired words were never part of a pair; their starting or ending phonemes, by accident, happen to match those of an existing morpheme, leading to a reinterpretation.

The classification of a word as "unpaired" can be problematic, as a word thought to be unattested might reappear in real-world usage or be created, for example, through humorous back-formation. In some cases a paired word does exist, but is quite rare or archaic (no longer in general use).

Such words – and particularly the back-formations, used as nonce words – find occasional use in wordplay, particularly light verse.

In English

[edit]
Word Paired word(s) Notes on paired word
Awful Awless Not attested
Disambiguate Ambiguate[a] Not attested. Disambiguate derives from dis- + ambigu(ous) + -ate in the mid-20th century
Discomfit Comfit Not an antonym. Comfit (noun) is a candy comprising a sugar-coated nut or fruit. From Old French confit, from Latin confectum meaning "put together". Discomfit probably includes some conflation with discomfort.
Disgruntle Gruntle[b] Humorous back-formation, circa 1938.
Disgusting Gusting From Latin gustāre meaning to taste; antonym form appeared in Old French desgouster
Disheveled, Dishevelled Sheveled,[a] Shevelled[a] Not attested. Disheveled is from Old French deschevelé.
Exasperate Asperate Synonym. To make rough, a similar connotation to exasperate's secondary meaning of increasing the intensity of pain.
Feckless Feckful Used in Scottish English[3]
Gormless Gormful Not attested. Gormless derives from gaumless, whose antonym gaumy is rare and highly region-specific.
Improvisation Provisation Not attested, as something created with forethought.
Impulsive Pulsive Rare. Means "tending to compel; compulsory".
Incorrigible Corrigible Rare. Typically describes the abstract, such as a theory, rather than a person.[citation needed]
Indomitable Domitable Rare
Ineffable Effable Rare
Inert Ert[a] Not attested. Inert is from Latin iners, meaning "without skill". The corresponding Latin antonym, ars, is the source of English art, which is not an antonym of inert.
Inflammable Flammable Synonym. From Latin flammare meaning "to catch fire". Inflammable is from Latin inflammare meaning "to cause to catch fire". Antonym is nonflammable.[4]
Innocent Nocent Rare. Means "harmful".
Innocuous Nocuous Uncommon[5]
Irritate Ritate Not attested
Nonchalant Chalant Not attested
Noncommittal Committal Not an antonym. Committal (noun) means "the process of sending someone to a mental institution".[6]
Nonplussed Plussed[b] Not attested. Nonplussed is from Latin non plus, meaning "no more".[7]
Nonsensical Sensical Rare. Nonsensical is derived from nonsense.[8]
Off-putting Putting Not antonyms.
Overwhelm / Underwhelm Whelm From Middle English whelmen meaning "to turn over".[9] May mean "to moderately impress" in recent usage.[10]
Postpone Prepone Used in Indian English[11]
Rebuttal Buttal Not attested
Reckless Reckful Not attested
Repeat Peat Unrelated in meaning. Means a soil formed of decomposition of plant matter.
Rueful Rueless Not attested
Ruthless Ruthful Rare. Means "full of or causing sorrow".[12]
Uncouth Couth[b] Rare. From Old English cunnan meaning "well-known" or "familiar".
Ungainly Gainly Rare
Unkempt Kempt Rare. Kempt was replaced by passive participle combed as comb replaced kemb. While unkempt extended to grooming and hygiene generally, combed did not undergo the same extension. Appears in the form well-kempt.
Unruly Ruly Rare
Unscathed Scathed Rare
Unstinting Stinting Rare
Untoward Toward Not an antonym. Untoward evolved from figurative alterations of toward involving deviation from norms; toward acquired no similar figurative meanings.
Unwieldy Wieldy Rare

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Words not attested or very rare in English usage.
  2. ^ a b c Jocular or facetious coinages as intentional back-formation.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Injeeli, Prudent (2013). Mind Your Words Master the Art of Learning and Teaching Vocabulary. Trafford on Demand Pub. ISBN 978-1-4669-9131-6. OCLC 850242046.
  2. ^ "Orphaned negative". Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  3. ^ "Feckful". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "Flammable vs. Inflammable". Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  5. ^ "Nocuous". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  6. ^ "Committal". Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  7. ^ "What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  8. ^ "Nonsense". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  9. ^ "Whelmen - Middle English Compendium".
  10. ^ "Whelm". Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  11. ^ "Words We're Watching: Prepone". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "Ruthful". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
[edit]
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