Nomes em -deira no português

Abstract

This text analyses the semantic functions of the suffix -deira within agentive and/or instrumental deverbal nouns of European and Brazilian Portuguese. We intend to highlight the historical and socio-cultural motivations which explain the current coexistence of -deira and - dora in instrumental nouns, and the increase in use of -eira in denominations of artisanal, archaic and non-technical activities or instruments.

Keywords

• Morphology
• lexicon
• semantics
• suffixation
• Portuguese language