fi-

From fi.

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): [fi]

fi-

1. shameful, immoral, corrupt, dissolute, dirty, slutty

   ‎fi- + ‎fama (“famous”) → ‎fifama (“infamous”)

• Unlike the suffix -aĉ-, which indicates a defect in quality or condition, the prefix fi- indicates a defect of morality. Therefore, while both are used to indicate disapproval, they are not synonymous. The difference is similar to the difference between evil and bad in English.

• IPA^(key): /ɸi/

fi-

1. a prefix of generally unknown function
   1. indicates active involvement

      ‎fi- + ‎co (“to see”) → ‎fico (“to look at, keep an eye on”)

   2. derives transitive verbs from intransitive verbs

      ‎fi- + ‎teng (“to say”) → ‎fiteng (“to say (to someone)”)

   3. derives intransitive verbs from transitive verbs

      ‎fi- + ‎am (“to eat (tr.)”) → ‎fiam (“to eat (intr.)”)

   4. extends the root semantically

      ‎fi- + ‎toga (“to pull up (an anchor)”) → ‎fitoga (“to withdraw (a machete, etc.)”)

These are the only four instances of this prefix found in the present data.

fi-

1. Alternative form of fa- (derivational prefix) when preceded by a root-initial i

fi-

1. Alternative form of fa- (“you all”) when preceded by a root-initial i

fi-

1. second-person plural possessive prefix, your

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎, Pacific linguistics
• James Collins (1982) Further Notes Towards a West Makian Vocabulary‎, Pacific linguistics