marginality
UK[ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnæləti]US[ˌmɑːrdʒɪˈnæləti]
n
the state of being isolated from the dominant group in a society, often experiencing disadvantage or exclusion.
n
the quality or condition of being of minor importance, relevance, or significance; being on the edge or periphery.
Morpheme Breakdown
margin
al
ity
margin
edge
al
adjective suffix
ity
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'marginality' traces a clear path from the tangible to the abstract. its foundation is the latin margo, meaning a physical edge or border, such as the margin of a page. through the addition of the adjectival suffix -alis, it formed 'marginalis' in late latin, describing something situated at the edge. english adopted this as 'marginal'. the final abstraction into a state or condition was achieved by appending the noun-forming suffix -itas (english -ity), common in forming abstract nouns from adjectives. thus, 'marginality' logically evolved from describing a simple physical location to encapsulating the complex social and conceptual states of being peripheral, excluded, or of limited importance.
Analysis
Structure: margin (edge) + al (adjective suffix) + ity (noun suffix)
- margin: from latin margo (edge, border, brink). serves as the core root noun.
- al: from latin -alis (suffix forming adjectives). converts the noun 'margin' into the adjective 'marginal'.
- ity: from latin -itas (suffix forming nouns indicating state or condition). converts the adjective 'marginal' into an abstract noun.
Examples
the study focused on the social marginality experienced by recent immigrants.
the marginality of these ancient texts means they are rarely studied by mainstream scholars.
economic policies often fail to address the deep-seated marginality of certain communities.