This paper takes a critical look at the different approaches to prefixes, among them the areas based on the following parameters: transformation, productivity, prefix-preposition correspondence, operative perspective. It is argued that none of them is adequate to identify prefix. It is further argued that it may be convenient to recognise the existence of typical prefixes, such as in-, re- and des-, and of non typical ones, such as sobre- and contra-, characterized by formal, not distributional correspondence to free forms and/or by brachysemic use.
stem; Root; Prefix; Suffix; Distribution