Are there restrictions to use productive suffixes?

Question

I was reading about word formation in German. The writer speaks about productive and unproductive word formation patterns. Productive word formation patterns are simply ways still used today to create new words (e.g., by adding a particular prefix or suffix). My question is whether I could create new words by using such productive patterns, or else such words need to be already widely used or accepted to be correct? If such a new word is understood in its context, does that make it correct?

Examples of some productive suffixes: -erei, -chen, -lein, -schaft, -tum, -ung, -isch, -mässig, -ig

I tried to create some words that are non-available in my dictionary and I don’t know if they are correct:

• Scherzerei – repeated annoying jokes (like Fragerei),
• Stiftchen oder Teppichlein – small pencil or carpet,
• Lehrerschaft oder Ingenieureschaft – collection or body of teachers or engineers (like Studentenschaft),
• Lügung – the act of lying (like Landung),
• gerüchtmäßig – according to rumors,
• diamantig (like goldig, milchig),
• lehrerisch (like studentisch),
• springeln – jump weaker (like lächeln)

Are these words that are formed by productive suffixes acceptable knowing that all of them are not in my dictionary?

Are such productive patterns always applicable when there is a context for the new word?

Answer 1

Are such productive patterns always applicable when there is a context for the new word?

Almost always. The main problem is new words don't have established meanings and there may be a lot of different interpretations for compounds. You have to be aware of all of them because it often creates a comical effect. Native speakers create new compounds for that kind of word play all the time. It's a main part of German humour.

My thoughts on your examples.

Scherzerei — a type of Bäckerei that focuses on Scherzkekse.

Scherzerei — a not-so seriously meant practice of herzen

Stiftchen — a tiny bolt

Stiftchen — the apprentice of the apprentice (these are traditionally called der Stift)

Teppichlein — a cute small carpet

Teppichchen — an absurdly small carpet (definetely insulting)

Lehrerschaft — teacher body (of a school etc – established word!)

Ingenieurschaft – assembly of engineers

Ingenieurschaft – the pride to be an engineer

gerücht(e)mäßig/gerücht(e)weise – according to rumors (established word!)

No match:

Lügung

The act of lying is das Lügen. Nouns ending in -ung draw a bigger picture. Consider das Fügen (the act of putting things together) vs. die Fügung (an act of god had put things together). Das Leugnen (the act of denying) vs. die Leugnung (practising denial). I couldn't make a sense of die Lügung that is different from die Lüge.

diamantig/diamanten

This is valid but leaves me puzzled what it may mean. There's diamantene Hochzeit, which is a fixed phrase for the 60th anniversary but almost no other phrases which I could rely on. I would suspect it's something very hard.

lehrerisch

Valid, but there are two existing words for that, either belehrerisch or oberlehrerhaft. Both mean annoying through teaching.

springeln

This is quite a nice idea for a valid word, but I doubt it would immediately ring a bell (klingeln). At most, I'd say it means falling apart – springen also means to crack.

Mein Wecker ist kaputt. Statt klingeln nur springeln.

I imagine the Stiftchen and Federchen jumping out of their metal cage into freedom happily.

Answer 2

quote: "I was reading about word formation in German. The writer speaks about ..."

Who the heck is that writer, and what did you read where (printed? online?) He or she is not well informed.

As German is my first language, I might be tempted to create new words using one of the suffixes above, but I would instantaneously know whether they would work or not. Even if your German is near native (or near-native?), you'd better refrain from creating words, because this playing around with suffixes is a rather intricate affair. :-))

Instead, you should look up words on https://www.dwds.de/ or good old http://www.duden.de/woerterbuch. If they are not being found, they probably do not exist.

As to your Kreationen:

'Scherzerei' would indeed mean, theoretically, "repeated annoying jokes", but you can't construct this word. The idiomatic expression is "deine blöden Witze" or maybe 'deine blöden Scherze", a sentence would be "Deine blöden Witze kannst du dir sparen!" If you insist on a noun, use 'Witzelei(en)'.

'Stiftchen' is either camp humour or absurd, just as 'Teppichlein', which, by the way, does not flow. You could not even dream it up.

'Lehrerschaft' exists (see https://www.dwds.de/)

'Ingenieureschaft' is grammatically wrong; if, it would have to be 'Ingenieurschaft', which would mean: that coterie / clique / scum of engineers. See what I meant by "a rather intricate affair"?

'Lügung' is a misconception on your part. The noun going with 'landen' is in fact 'Landung', 'Bezahlung' is derived from 'bezahlen', 'Betreuung' from 'betreuen' - but the noun going with 'lügen' is ... 'die Lüge'. Sorry :-)

'gerüchtmäßig' doesn't exist, but 'gerüchtemäßig' does. However, this is lower class slang: "Also, ich weiß das ja nur gerüchtemäßig!" Uaaah! It gives me the creeps!

'diamantig' and 'lehrerisch' would be as strange as 'diamondly' and 'teacherish'. Imagine "diamondly eyes, but a teacherish behavior :-)) :-)) :-))

'springeln' can in fact be found in the venerable GRIMM (Bd. 17, Sp. 81 bis 107). Last occurence: Kramer, 1702. :-)) Um, a bit outdated, isn't it? http://woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/wbgui_py?sigle=DWB&mode=Vernetzung&lemid=GS37153#XGS37153

And in order to make a long story short, this is The End. Cheers!