Base selection and prefixing

Over the last few years, researchers have discussed the prime importance of semantic factors when it comes to defining the possibilities of combination and selection between derivational bases and affixes with respect to different languages. Based on a close revision of the categorial and semantic restrictions that seem to influence base-affix (in)compatibility, this paper examines verbal formations with the prefix des- in Spanish. Despite the need to deal with issues such as the argument structure of derivation and its semantic peculiarities and those of the prefixes, this study argues that it is still useful to bear in mind the so-called categorial restriction. In order to review the proposals made by different researchers, this paper focuses on verbs with the prefix des-, one of the most productive word-formation processes in present-day Spanish. Keywords: base selection; categorial restrictions; semantic restrictions; verbs with the prefix des-