narratorial
UK[ˌnærəˈtɔːriəl]US[ˌnærəˈtɔːriəl]
adj
relating to or characteristic of a narrator or the process of narration
Morpheme Breakdown
narrat
ori
al
narrat
to tell
ori
forming adjectives
al
relating to
Etymology
the word 'narratorial' is built upon the latin verb 'narrare', meaning to tell a story, which itself is likely related to 'gnarus' (knowing) and traces back to the proto-indo-european root gno- (to know). the suffix '-orius' was added in latin to form adjectives from verbs, creating a sense of "pertaining to the action". the modern english form then appended the redundant but common adjectival suffix '-al', solidifying its grammatical role. thus, the literal construction "pertaining to one who tells" evolved into the precise modern meaning describing anything related to a narrator or the act of narration, capturing the perspective and voice inherent in storytelling.
Analysis
Structure: narrat (to tell) + ori (forming adjectives) + al (relating to)
- narrat: from latin 'narrare' (to tell, relate, recount). this is the verbal root.
- ori: a suffixal element from latin '-orius', used to form adjectives meaning "pertaining to, serving for". in this word, it is attached to the verb root to form an adjective.
- al: from latin '-alis', an adjectival suffix meaning "of, relating to, characterized by". it reinforces the adjectival function.
Examples
the novel employs a complex narratorial voice that shifts between multiple characters.
the film's narratorial structure, with its unreliable narrator, keeps the audience guessing until the end.
her essay analyzed the narratorial techniques used in 19th-century realist fiction.