Explanation
In suppletion, a grammatical paradigm is not formed through the regular inflection of a stem. The language treats distinctly different forms as a single unit.
Example
gut – besser – am besten.
Counterexample
klein – kleiner – am kleinsten is a regular comparative series.
Distinction
Distinguish from allomorphy in the broader sense: Suppletion refers to extreme stem change.
Effect on thought and perception
Shows that grammatical relatedness can be stronger than formal similarity.
Resonance
Different word families are linked into a single paradigm through their function.
Cite this entry
Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Suppletion“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-103-008. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-103-008The address remains stable; editorial content may evolve. A verified modification date per entry is not yet available. Include your access date for precise references.