What is derivation?

Definition
	Derivation is the formation of a new word or inflectable stem from another word or stem. It typically occurs by the addition of an affix.
	The derived word is often of a different word class from the original. It may thus take the inflectional affixes of the new word class.

Discussion
	In contrast to inflection, derivation
	is not obligatory typically produces a greater change of meaning from the original form, and is more likely to result in a form which has a somewhat idiosyncratic meaning. often changes the grammatical category of a root

Examples (English)
	Kindness is derived from kind. Joyful is derived from joy. Amazement is derived from amaze. Speaker is derived from speak. National is derived from nation.

Characteristics
	Derivational operations
	tend to be idiosyncratic and non-productive do not occur in well-defined 'paradigms,' and are 'optional' insofar as they shape the basic semantic content of roots and are not governed by some other syntactic operation or element.

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of derivation:
	What is a phonological derivation?
	Here are some kinds of derivational operations:
	Operations that change the grammatical category of a root Example: Nominalization (English) Verbs and adjectives can be turned into nouns: amaze >amazement, speak >speaker, perform >performance, soft >softness, warm >warmth Operations that change the valence (transitivity) of a root, and Example: Causation (Swahili) kula 'to eat' > kulisha, 'to feed'

Generic
	Derivation is a kind of
	What is a morphosyntactic operation?