marginalization
UK[ˌmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪˈzeɪʃn]US[ˌmɑːrdʒɪnələˈzeɪʃn]
n
the process of making a person or group feel less important or powerful, often by placing them in a position of little influence or by ignoring their needs and rights.
n
the act of treating something as marginal or of secondary importance.
Morpheme Breakdown
margin
al
ization
margin
edge
al
adjective suffix
ization
noun-forming suffix
Etymology
the word's journey begins with the latin noun 'margo', meaning a border or edge, which passed into english as 'margin'. the addition of the adjectival suffix '-al' created 'marginal', describing something situated at the edge or of secondary importance. the final layer, '-ization', a complex suffix of greek and latin lineage, transforms the adjective into a process noun. thus, 'marginalization' literally narrates the process of being pushed to the edge, evolving from a concrete spatial concept to a powerful abstract term describing social and political exclusion.
Analysis
Structure: margin (edge) + al (adjective suffix) + ization (noun-forming suffix)
- margin: from latin 'margo' (edge, border). serves as the core root noun.
- al: from latin '-alis' (pertaining to). suffix forming adjectives from nouns.
- ization: from greek '-izein' (verb-forming suffix) via latin '-izare' and french '-isation', combined with the noun-forming suffix '-tion'. creates a noun denoting a process or result.
Examples
the policy led to the further marginalization of minority communities.
there is a risk of marginalization for older workers in the technology sector.
her book examines the historical marginalization of women in science.