Inspiration and perspiration, Part 6: The suffixes Eng. -(a)tion ~ Sp. -(a)ción (e)

[This entry comes from Chapter 10, "Inspiration and Perspiration", of Part II of the open-source textbook Spanish-English Cognates: An Unconventional Introduction to Spanish Linguistics.]

This is Part 6. Go to Part 1

English words that end in -tion and -sion

There are over two thousand words that end in ‑ation in English (2,587 by one count), quite a considerable number.[1] The vast majority of these words are Latin loanwords, not English creations by means of this Latinate suffix, and many if not most of them, have Spanish cognates. Indeed, this is one of the most noticeable sources of English-Spanish cognates, one which allows English-speaking learners of Spanish access to thousands of Spanish words with relative ease.

In addition, English typically has borrowed the corresponding verb along with the derived noun in ‑tion, such as inspire along with inspiration, and contemplate along with contemplation, something which makes the suffix quite ‘transparent’ (see above and Part I, Chapter 5). Latinate verbs in English come mostly in three flavors, all of them exemplified in Figure 119 above (cf. Part I, Chapter 5, §5.12.2):

·      those that end in ‑ate, such as contemplate and frustrate

·      those that end in (a silent) ‑e, such as inspire and explore (this includes many verbs in ‑ify, such as classify, and in ‑ize, such as organize); and

·      those that have lost all vestiges of an inflectional Latin ending, such as despair

Verbs that end in ‑ate in English were taken directly from Latin, since traditionally, when English borrows a Latin verb from written Latin, it borrows the past participle form, which often ends in ‑atus (in the masculine), and changes this ending to ‑ate, in order to match the ending of early borrowings of Latin verbs that were acquired through Old French. The other two types of Latinate verbs typically came into English through French, namely from an Old French infinitive. In Table 159 above, you can see that 3 of the 10 verbs we saw there end in ‑ate and 6 end in ‑e.[a]

In some cases, there is no matching verb for a ‑tion English noun. Thus, in English there is no verb *to nate that goes along with the noun nation (cf. Sp. nación). In Latin, the noun natĭo (acc. natĭōnem) was indeed associated with a verb, namely nāscī ‘to be born’, a deponent verb whose passive participle was nātus (its principal parts were nāscor, nāscī, and nātus sum). The Latin noun natĭō thus meant, first of all, ‘birth’, but also, by extension, ‘race, nation’.[b]

Other ‘orphaned’ English nouns that end in ‑ation (without a corresponding English verb) are caption (Sp. leyenda, pie de foto, título, subtítulo), question (cf. Sp. cuestión), section (Sp. sección), station (Sp. estación), and caution (Sp. cautela, precaución, prudencia, etc.). In the following table you can see a few more examples of such words that do not have a verb associated with them in English or Spanish, along with the Latin verb they were associated with.

English	Spanish		Latin	Pass. Part.	Infin.
function	función		functĭo	fūnctus	fungī	‘to perform’
station	estación		statĭo	status	stāre	‘to stand; to stay’
lotion	loción		lōtĭo	lōtus/ lăvātus	lavāre	‘to wash’
potion	poción		pōtĭo	pōtus	pōtāre	‘to drink’

The following is a list of what are probably the 660 most common English words ending in -tion (all derived from this Latin suffix). This list is extracted from one containing 835 words that are suitable for use in the game Scrabble (from The Free Dictionary). The words that have been removed are very uncommon words or those derived by prefixation from other words and whose meaning is highly predictable, such as resegregation and antipolution (very common and lexicalized words derived by prefixation have been kept, such as indisposition or dehydration, which are related to disposition and hydration). Some rare English words were kept on this list if they had common Spanish cognates, such as lection, oration, and natation (cf. Sp. lección ‘lesson’, oración ‘sentence’, and natación ‘swimming’).

abbreviation	ablation	abolition	abortion	absorption
abstraction	acceleration	acclimatization	accommodation	accreditation
accretion	acculturation	accumulation	accusation	acquisition
action	adaptation	adaption	addiction	addition
administration	admiration	adoption	adoration	adulation
aeration	affection	affirmation	agglomeration	agglutination
agitation	alienation	allegation	alphabetization	alteration
amalgamation	ambition	ammunition	amortization	amplification
animation	annihilation	anticipation	application	apportion
appreciation	appropriation	approximation	arbitration	argumentation
articulation	aspiration	assertion	assimilation	association
assumption	attention	attraction	attribution	attrition
auction	audition	augmentation	authorization	automation
automatization	aviation	bastion	calcification	calculation
calibration	cancellation	capitalization	capitulation	caption
carbonization	carnation	categorization	causation	caution
certification	cessation	circulation	circumlocution	circumscription
circumspection	citation	civilization	classification	coaction
coalition	cogeneration	cognition	collation	collection
colonization	combination	combustion	commemoration	commendation
commiseration	commotion	communication	compensation	competition
compilation	complementation	completion	complication	composition
computation	computerization	concentration	conception	condemnation
condensation	condition	confederation	configuration	confirmation
conflagration	confrontation	conglomeration	congratulation	congregation
conjunction	connection	conscription	consecration	conservation
consideration	consolation	consolidation	constellation	consternation
constipation	constitution	constriction	construction	consultation
consummation	consumption	contamination	contemplation	contention
continuation	contraception	contraction	contradiction	contravention
contribution	convention	conversation	conviction	cooperation
coordination	corporation	correction	correlation	corruption
creation	cultivation	damnation	deception	declaration
decomposition	deconstruction	decoration	dedication	deduction
defenestration	definition	deflation	deformation	degeneration
degradation	dehydration	dejection	delegation	deletion
deliberation	demagnetization	democratization	demolition	demonstration
demotion	denomination	denunciation	depletion	deportation
deposition	depreciation	deprivation	description	desensitization
desertification	desertion	designation	desperation	destination
destruction	detection	detention	determination	detoxification
deviation	devotion	dichotomization	dictation	diction
differentiation	digestion	dilation	dilution	direction
disarticulation	discoloration	discontinuation	discretion	discrimination
disinformation	disinhibition	disintegration	dislocation	disorganization
disorientation	dispensation	disposition	disproportion	dissatisfaction
dissertation	dissipation	dissociation	dissolution	distillation
distinction	distortion	distraction	distribution	documentation
domination	donation	dramatization	duplication	duration
dysfunction	edition	education	ejection	elation
election	elevation	emancipation	emotion	emulation
equation	erection	erudition	eruption	estimation
evacuation	evocation	evolution	examination	exasperation
excavation	exception	excommunication	excretion	execution
exemplification	exemption	exertion	exhaustion	exhibition
exhilaration	expectation	expedition	experimentation	expiration
explanation	exploitation	exploration	exponentiation	exposition
extinction	extortion	extraction	extradition	facilitation
faction	familiarization	fascination	federation	fermentation
fertilization	fibrillation	fiction	filtration	fixation
flotation	formation	fortification	foundation	fraction
ragmentation	friction	fruition	frustration	function
generalization	generation	gentrification	gestation	gesticulation
gradation	graduation	gratification	gumption	gyration
hallucination	hesitation	hospitalization	humiliation	hypercorrection
hyperinflation	ideation	identification	ignition	illumination
illustration	imagination	imitation	implantation	implication
importation	imposition	improvisation	inaction	inauguration
incarnation	inception	inclination	incubation	indemnification
indication	indignation	indisposition	individuation	induction
infarction	infection	infiltration	inflammation	inflation
information	inhibition	initiation	injection	injunction
innovation	inscription	insertion	inspection	inspiration
installation	institution	instruction	instrumentation	insulation
insurrection	integration	intention	interaction	interception
interconnection	interiorization	interpretation	intersection	intoxication
introduction	introspection	intuition	invention	investigation
invitation	irritation	isolation	iteration	junction
jurisdiction	justification	juxtaposition	lactation	lateralization
lection	legation	legislation	lenition	libation
liberation	ligation	limitation	location	locution
lotion	magnetization	magnification	maladaptation	malnutrition
manifestation	manipulation	masculinization	masturbation	mediation
medication	meditation	menstruation	mention	migration
miniaturization	miscegenation	misconception	modification	mortification
motion	motivation	multiplication	munition	mutation
mystification	narration	natation	nation	navigation
negation	negotiation	neutralization	nomination	nonfiction
nonintervention	notation	notification	notion	nullification
nutrition	objection	obligation	observation	obstruction
occupation	operation	opposition	optimization	option
oration	orchestration	organization	orientation	ornamentation
ovation	overconsumption	overpopulation	overstimulation	oxidation
participation	partition	pasteurization	penetration	perception
perdition	perfection	persecution	perseveration	personification
perspiration	petition	plantation	polarization	pollution
population	portion	position	postproduction	potion
precipitation	preconception	precondition	predation	predestination
prediction	predilection	predisposition	premeditation	preoccupation
preparation	preregistration	prescription	presentation	pressurization
presumption	prevention	prioritization	privation	probation
proclamation	production	prohibition	projection	promotion
pronunciation	propagation	proportion	proposition	prosecution
proselytization	prostitution	protection	provocation	publication
pulsation	punctuation	punition	purification	qualification
question	quotation	radiation	ration	rationalization
reaction	realization	recapitulation	reception	reciprocation
reclamation	recognition	recollection	recombination	recommendation
reconciliation	reconstruction	recreation	recrimination	redaction
redemption	redistribution	reduction	reflection	reformation
regeneration	registration	regulation	reincarnation	rejection
relation	relaxation	remediation	remuneration	rendition
renunciation	reorganization	repetition	replication	representation
reproduction	reputation	reservation	resignation	resolution
restitution	restoration	restriction	resumption	resurrection
retardation	retention	retribution	revalorization	revelation
reverberation	revolution	rogation	rotation	salvation
sanction	sanitation	satisfaction	saturation	secretion
section	sedation	sedimentation	sedition	seduction
segmentation	segregation	selection	sensation	separation
sequestration	sexploitation	signification	simulation	situation
solution	specialization	specification	speculation	starvation
station	sterilization	stigmatization	strangulation	stratification
subscription	substitution	suburbanization	suction	suggestion
summation	superimposition	superposition	superstation	superstition
synchronization	systematization	taxation	teleportation	temptation
termination	traction	tradition	transaction	transcription
transfiguration	transformation	transition	translation	translocation
transmutation	transportation	transposition	triangulation	tuition
unction	vacation	vaccination	valuation	variation
vegetation	ventilation	verification	vexation	vibration
violation	vocation	volition	workstation

The following list contains 166 common (non-rare) English words ending in ‑sion. The original list, from the same source, had 255 words. Some of these nouns end in ‑sion with only one s, but some of them have two s’s. The double s in these English words came from a Latin t+t, e.g. mission (from Lat. mit+t+us) or from a Latin d+t, e.g. cession (from Lat. ced+t+us).

abrasion	adhesion	admission	aggression	allusion
animadversion	apprehension	ascension	aspersion	aversion
cession	circumcision	cohesion	collision	collusion
commission	compassion	comprehension	compression	compulsion
concession	concision	conclusion	concussion	condescension
confession	confusion	contusion	conversion	convulsion
corrosion	decision	declension	decommission	decompression
delusion	depression	derision	diffusion	digression
dimension	discussion	disillusion	dispersion	dispossession
dissension	dissuasion	distension	diversion	division
effusion	egression	elision	elusion	emersion
emission	emulsion	envision	erosion	evasion
excision	exclusion	excursion	expansion	explosion
expression	expulsion	extension	extroversion	fission
fusion	hypertension	hypotension	illusion	immersion
implosion	imprecision	impression	incision	inclusion
incomprehension	incursion	indecision	infusion	intercession
intermission	intersession	interspersion	intromission	introversion
intrusion	invasion	inversion	lesion	mansion
manumission	misapprehension	misimpression	mission	nonaggression
obsession	occasion	occlusion	omission	oppression
overexpansion	overextension	passion	pension	percussion
permission	persuasion	pervasion	perversion	possession
preadmission	precision	preclusion	prepossession	pretension
prevision	procession	profession	profusion	progression
propulsion	provision	readmission	recession	reclusion
reconversion	recursion	regression	remission	repercussion
repossession	reprehension	repression	repulsion	resubmission
retransmission	retrocession	retrogression	revision	revulsion
secession	seclusion	session	suasion	subdivision
submersion	submission	subversion	succession	supervision
suppression	suspension	television	tension	torsion
transfusion	transgression	transmission	version	vision

GO TO PART 7

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[a] The verbal ‑ate ending is quite common. Like we said, it comes from the Latin perfect passive participle suffixes of first conjugation verbs, masc. ‑ātus, fem. ‑āta, and neut. ‑ātum, which are equivalent to the Spanish past participle endings masc. ‑ado fem. ‑ada. By the time these words reached English from French, the final e in the spelling was already not pronounced. In fact, verbs with this suffix in Middle English were spelled ‑at, not ‑ate.

Note that besides the verbal ending ‑ate, there are three other ‑ate suffixes recognized in English, cf. Part I, Chapter 8, §8.5.3). This main alternative suffix ‑ate does not create verbs in English, but rather adjectives, such as affectionate or fortunate, or nouns, such as electorate, doctorate, or rabbinate. Note that these two ‑ate endings has a different pronunciation from the verbal ‑ate, namely [‑ət], instead of [ˌeɪ̯t], cf. the noun graduate [ˈɡɹæ.ʤu.ət] vs. the verb graduate [ˈɡɹæ.ʤu.ˌeɪ̯t]. For the nouns there is sometimes a Spanish cognate that ends in ‑ado, the descendant of the Latin suffix ‑atus, e.g. electorado, doctorado. (The noun and adjective apostate, cf. Sp. apóstata, is not derived from the past participle, but rather from Lat. apostata, a borrowing from Greek. It means ‘a person who renounces a belief or principle’, COED.) Finally, we should mention that in the field of chemistry, there is yet a third type of ‑ate suffix, used for nouns but pronounced like the verbal ‑ate, namely [ˌeɪ̯t]. It is found in words such as phosphate, chlorate, or nitrate. Its meaning is ‘a salt or ester, especially of an acid with a corresponding name ending in ‑ic’ (OD).

[b] The Spanish verb nacer ‘to be born’ comes from a Vulgar Latin, regularized version of nāscī, namely nascere. And the noun that refers to the act of being born is not nación, but rather the derived form nacimiento ‘birth’.

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[1] The 2,587 count is from http://www.morewords.com/ends-with/tion/. See also http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_words_suffixed_with_-ation