What words with the suffix -chik-, -shchik- do you know? Almost everyone will be able to answer this question. Although there are people who are confused in the formulation of these morphemes. In this regard, we decided to devote this article to this topic.
General information
Nouns with the suffix -chik- are often used in letters with such a morpheme as -shchik-. It should be noted that this is a gross mistake. After all, there is a strict rule in the Russian language, which directly indicates in which case the letter “h” should be written, and in which “u”.
Suffix Features
How should one write and say: “copyist” or “copyist”? Not everyone knows the correct answer to this question. However, experts say that such a lexical unit has the suffix -chik. Therefore, it is required to write “scribe” correctly. Although during the pronunciation it is necessary to use only the first option.
Basic rule
As you can see, the suffix -chik-, as well as the suffix -shchik- can quite easily cause a lot of doubts about their writing in the text. That is why experts recommend remembering that rule of the Russian language that explains the choice of a particular morpheme. For those who do not know him, imagine him right now.
If the basis of nouns ends in consonants such as "t", "g", "d", "s" and "z", then after them you only need to write the suffix -chik. In order to make this rule more understandable, we give a few illustrative examples:
- interpreter;
- pilot;
- plumber;
- miscellaneous;
- carrier;
- the narrator;
- gas meter;
- traveler;
- carrier;
- rewriter;
- cab;
- traveler;
- defector;
- Carrier;
- machine gun;
- Buffer;
- reseller
- scout;
- CUTTER;
- oiler;
- Helicopter
- customer;
- bookbinder;
- sucker;
- loader;
- hauler;
- transmitter and so on.
As you can see, most of the words presented indicate certain professions. With the suffix -chik, such lexical units are also used that form the names of persons according to their affiliation to a particular place of residence and nationality.
Important to remember
Now you know what words exist in Russian with the suffix -chik- (examples of words were presented above). However, for the correct spelling of the mentioned lexical units, one should know not only the above rule. After all, quite a large number of people make mistakes such as:
- distribution + suffix -chik- there will be a "distributor";
- tavern + suffix -chik- there will be a “tavern”;
- production + suffix -chik - there will be a "producer" and so on.
It should be especially noted that this is an incorrect derivation. However, in this regard, in the Russian language there is a separate rule, which reads as follows: before the suffix -chik, letters such as “c”, “k” and “h” are replaced by the letter “t”. Here is a good example:
- DISTRIBUTION + suffix –char- will be “distributor”;
- kabaK + suffix -chik- will be “kabaKchik”;
- extraction + suffix –chik –– “extraction” and so on.
In what cases is the suffix -shchik- put?
Now you know about in which cases you should write a word with the suffix -chik-. However, in the Russian language such lexical units are often found in which the morpheme-worker- is used. As in the previous case, such a suffix can be put in nouns, which form the names of males, having a particular profession, engaged in a certain occupation, and also belonging to any nationality or place of residence.
Also, the morpheme “worker” is written if the base of the noun ends in other consonants other than the above (“t”, “f”, “d”, “s” and “z”). Here is a good example:
- instigator;
- debater;
- compositor;
- payer;
- reinsurer;
- concrete worker;
- cheater;
- spinner;
- welder;
- drummer;
- overseer;
- tenant;
- sawyer;
- glazier;
- porter;
- driller;
- rejecter;
- mason;
- collector;
- coal miner;
- roofer;
- trailer;
- packer;
- polisher;
- herder;
- planer;
- lamplighter and so on.
Foreign words
As mentioned above, a word with the suffix -chik is written if the base of the noun ends with the following letters: “t”, “f”, “d”, “s” and “z”. Then the question arises as to why the morpheme-worker- is used in some lexical units, even if its base has the letter “t” at the end. It should be especially noted that these are not exception words, but only foreign-language forms.
Thus, some lexical units that have switched to Russian from a foreign language can be formed using the suffix -shchik- even if the letter “t” is at the end of the noun. But this is only if the foreign word ends in 2 consonants. Here is a good example:
- percent - interest;
- asphalt - asphalt box, etc.
Should I put a “soft sign”?
About when the word is written with the suffix -chik-, and when with the suffix -chik-, we found out. However, during the writing of such nouns, the following question often arises: is it necessary to put a soft sign in front of the morpheme “worker”? Indeed, a fairly large number of people often write the words presented as follows:
- instigator;
- concrete worker;
- herder;
- lantern and so on.
What is the reason for this? The fact is that the consonant "u" is a soft letter, and it often so softens the sound that some people write "b" in front of it. However, this is wrong. Indeed, in the Russian language and on this score there is a rule. It states that a soft sign should be written in nouns only after "l". Here is a good example:
- roofer;
- glazier;
- payer;
- spinner;
- sawyer;
- driller;
- porter;
- coal miner;
- roofer;
- planer and so on.
Distinguish suffixes
The word with the suffix -chik should be written only if the base of the noun ends with such letters as “t”, “f”, “d”, “s” and “z”. But how, then, to explain the spelling of such lexical units as a small stick, a sofa, a brick key, a boy, a finger, a cucumber stool, a ball, etc.? The fact is that in all the words presented, the suffix is not –chik, but –ik–. As for the letter “h,” it is either a separate suffix or is included in the root. That is why such lexical units do not fall under the above rules. Moreover, this morpheme is alternating (–ik - / - ek-). And to check its spelling, you should decline the main word. Thus, the suffix -excluded is in those lexical units, in the declension of which the vowel letter “e” drops out. Here is an example:
- granddaughter - granddaughter;
- whistle - whistle;
- bell - bell;
- light - light;
- leaflet - leaflet;
- a knife - a knife;
- stalk - stalk;
- lump - lump;
- son - son;
- a malleus - a malleus;
- flower - flower and so on.
As for the suffix -ik-, it is written in those words, the declension of which the letter "and" is preserved. Here is an example:
- a sofa - a sofa;
- a boy is a boy;
- kalachik - kalachka;
- cucumber - cucumber;
- brick - brick;
- key - key;
- highchair - highchairs;
- finger - finger;
- face - face;
- ball - ball and so on.