antonym

[Ju]

1) Is there a guideline to form/memorize the antonym of a word?
eg. the antonym of personal is impersonal, but I thought it's inpersonal
the antonym of comfort is discomfort, but I thought it's uncomfort

2) Are there websites with related information?

Thanks

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Ju

1) Is there a guideline to form/memorize the antonym of a word?
eg. the antonym of personal is impersonal, but I thought it's inpersonal
the antonym of comfort is discomfort, but I thought it's uncomfort

2) Are there websites with related information?

Thanks

There are so many sources both for English words and for prefixes that there's no simple rule. In the case of personal/impersonal, there's a phonological rule - the nasal (N) from the prefix 'in' changes to /m/ or stays as an /n/ to match the point of articulation of the following consonant, if the following consonant is a plosive: so indecent, incredible, but imbibe, impossible. But in cases like discomfort and uncomfortable you just have to learn them.

I have seen a website with the in-/im-/irr- rule; I'll try to find it.

b

[BobK]

This isn't the one I remember, but it's useful:

in–: Definition and Much More from Answers.com

b