A Corpus-based Analysis of English Suffix –esque

Affixation is one of the most common and productive ways to form new words in English and forming words through suffix, an affix that is placed after a base, and is a significant component of affixation. Although numerous studies on common suffixes have been conducted, relatively little attention has been paid to the seemingly less used affixes, say the suffix –esque. A thorough analysis is conducted of the properties of the suffix –esque, specifically the etymology, the semantic meaning, the formation rules, the orthographic properties, the productivity and the stylistic tendency with the help of the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). The findings are helpful in English teaching or learning.