Unusual sense of "Des" prefix

Question

As I study vocabulary, from my English perspective, I notice the prefix "des" is used for many words. I believe the prefix means "not-", "un-", "opposite of-".

Usually a word has a positive sense, and the "un-" prefix would give it a negative sense. My odd discovery is that there are Spanish words that initially have a negative sense, and the ''des-'' prefix is used to convert it to positive.

The first such word I found is:

Cansado - tired

Descansado - 'un'-tired (rested)

Similarily this prefix is used in these two related words I found today:

Ahogado - drowned, muffled

Desahogado - 'un'-muffled (spacious, roomy, well-off, comfortable)

I don't know any English words that appear to fit this 'backward' pattern.

Can anyone find more examples to post here, either in English or Spanish, that fit this pattern?

Word with Negative meaning, --> Same word with "Des-" (or English equivalent) prefix creating the corresponding Positive meaning.

Good one pesta I have noticed that too! - BellaMargarita, Dec 11, 2011

Great thread! - mountaingirl123, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 1

More:

Des-preocupado = carefree

Des-tapar = uncover

Des-interesado = generous

Eres desinteresada, gracias. :) - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

You're welcome. And I've just remembered a very beautiful one. Des-cubrir (to find) - cogumela, Dec 11, 2011

¡Super! ¡Descubriste otro! - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 2

I love this one!

ayuno= fast

Des- ayuno

Break- fast

Another one:

Des-cargar: discharge, or download

Carga= burden

Oh, yes, I had run into that, but since English says "break-fast" I hadn't thought it unusual. Now I do! :) - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 3

Hey, I just noticed "undisturbed" is a double negative pair of prefixes. Could the backformation "turbed" mean something?

This doesn't actually represent an example of a double negative.

The prefix "dis-" does not always indicate a reversal of meaning. It can also take a meaning similar to "utterly" or "completely." The word "disturb" takes its root from the verb "turbare" which basically means "to throw into confusion, disorder or disarray." Adding the prefix "dis-" acts as an intensifier so that the word "disturb (disturbare in Latin) means something along the lines of "to throw into a state of utter or complete disorder, disarray, etc. In this case, the word is quite similar to the word "perturbed" which uses the prefix "per- (also meaning "utterly, thoroughly or very"). From this we can see that the word "undisturbed," which takes the prefix "un- (meaning "not")," means "not thrown into such a state."

The word "turbid," by the way, uses the suffix "-id" to indicate that something is in the state or condition related to the root, viz., a state of disarray or confusion, or as Gary has pointed out, "stirred up."

Very illuminating background - thanks. - pesta, Dec 12, 2011

quite interesting, Iza...it's something else to mull over! - mountaingirl123, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 4

Great thinking, Pesta!

How about this one?...

engañar - to deceive, to swindle

desengañar - to free a person from deception or error

Ha! Nice one. - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 5

Here's a few -

Penar = to punish

Despenar = to relieve from pain

.

Arrollar - to roll up, knock down, sweep away

Desarrollar - to develop

Answer 6

Here's one I thought of in the middle of the night...

"precio" (price) vs. "desprecio (disdain).

While "desprecio" is clearly the opposite of "aprecio", I am interested in "precio" as the fundamental base for those words.

If a person has "desprecio" towards something or someone, could it be a result of denying that it is worth any price at all? In other words, taking away any value and saying it is worthless?

I am curious as to any thoughts the rest of you have.

You mean, "priceless" as in being beyond measure? I don't think desprecio means that.... - pesta, Dec 12, 2011

No, I mean it's not worth any money; it's a piece of junk!! - mountaingirl123, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 7

English also has words like disannul, which means the same thing as annul.

Along the lines of the original post, there is also disembarrass.

"Disannul" is another one of those words (like "disturb") in which the prefix "dis-" acts as an intensifier (i.e. to make null and void). - Izanoni1, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 8

uncluttered

uninhibited

unprovoked

unfettered

unmarried (personal viewpoint)

unmolested

unmistakeable

unexploited

undressed (another personal viewpoint)

undisturbed

uncensored...hmm

unbroken

unashamed

That's pretty good! Maybe many of these retain their reverse pattern in Spanish. - pesta, Dec 12, 2011

Hey, I just noticed "undisturbed" is a double negative pair of prefixes. Could the backformation "turbed" mean something? :) - pesta, Dec 12, 2011

well how's this, to disturb is to stir up and turbid is stirred up (disturbed)water so turb should somehow mean the same as undisturbed.jejeje grasping for straws;) - Yeser007, Dec 12, 2011

dismarry is also a word - lorenzo9, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 9

For English? There's place and dispace, interest and disinterest, etc. Dis = des.

Thanks - Read my thread again. The words sought for this thread are of negative sense before adding the prefix, then positive sense with the prefix. Your two examples are not using this contrary pattern. (typo on 'displace', by the way). - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

Oops! I was typing too quickly ^^' - Elena_Delgada, Dec 11, 2011

Answer 10

Or, in Mexico:

"ocupar" - to need ("Voy a ocupar esos cubiertos.")

"desocupar" - to no longer need. ("¿Vas a desocupar la cajuela?")

This goes along with ocupado / desocupado, too. Good one! - pesta, Dec 11, 2011

Yes, the meaning of "ocupar" and "desocupar" here is quite interesting! - mountaingirl123, Dec 11, 2011

That's not in Mexico, rather in Spanish :) Good word! - cogumela, Dec 12, 2011

Answer 11

I just found

mentir -- to lie and desmentir - to deny

Answer 12

I know I'm YEARS late, but I came across this pair which in my opinion follows the usual negative-reverse AS WELL AS the positive-reverse form; it all depends on the situation and how you look at it:

atar- to tie (up)

Positive Connotation for Reverse: desatar - to untie, loosen, unleash, arouse Negative Connotation for Reverse: desatar - to come undone, to break, to erupt

"Des-" might also be used in this pair as an intensifier prefix (mentioned in an earlier comment) when considering the figurative definitions given on spanishdict:

atar - figuratively, to put two and two together... desatar - figuratively, to spark, to give rise to...

It takes common sense to put two and two together, BUT it takes a greater level of ingenuity to spark the start of something new. Stretching?