How to use the auto prefix
Writing correctly and without making spelling mistakes is a hard task and involves constant learning. And it is that the language is a living and changing element, so it can also be the orthographic and grammatical rules that govern the use of certain linguistic elements. This is the case of prefixes, those particles that are placed in front of a word to modify its meaning, since its writing usually generates doubts about whether it should go along with the term they accompany, separated or linked with a script. Therefore, in this specific case, since we want to clarify how to use the prefix auto-, pay attention!
What does the auto-prefix mean and when is it used?
The prefix auto- is of Greek origin and its meaning is: " of or by itself".
It can be used preceding adjectives, nouns or verbs:
- In its use together with adjectives, it is applied to some finishes in -ble and provides the value of 'automatic', or it provides some reflective meaning. Examples: self-cleaning, self-injecting.
- When used in front of nouns, a reflexive value is also usually provided, while in others it maintains the meaning of 'own'. Example: self-control, self-tanning.
- It is necessary to pay attention when using it to precede a reflexive verb, since it will only be lawful when the verb does not make it clear that the subject is the one who exercises the action on himself and voluntarily. Examples: self-medicate
It should be noted that a verb with a prefix auto- together with the phrase "to itself" should not be used, since it will be a redundancy; nor is it permissible, for example, for the verbs * to self- suicide or * to self-immolate, since the verb suicide carries this meaning intrinsically.
How do you type the prefix auto-: together, separated or hyphenated?
As is currently the case with the rest of the Spanish prefixes, as dictated by the RAE (Spanish Royal Academy), the prefixes must be written next to the word they accompany. Thus, as a general rule, you should not use a hyphen or leave a blank space.
Example:
self-employment, self-esteem, autobiography .
Can you use the auto-hyphenated or separate prefix?
Although the rules of writing of the prefixes do contemplate the use of these with a hyphen to the lexical base or separated by a space, the truth is that these cases do not apply to the particular case of the prefix auto-.
And it is that, due to its reflective meaning, it does not make sense to use it before acronyms or proper names, as well as with a sense that affects a whole phrase. However, this does occur in the use of other affixes such as ex-, for example in ex public relations.
