Derivational Affixes in Pope Leo XIV’s Address

Abstract

This study examines Pope Leo XIV’s Address of His Holiness to The College of Cardinals through a morphological lens, focusing on how derivational affixes shape the speech’s formal and theological register. Using a descriptive qualitative method, the research identifies and classifies both class-changing and class-maintaining derivations based on noun, verb, adjective, and adverb patterns. The analysis finds that derivational suffixes like -tion, -ity, and -ly dominate the text, signaling a rhetorical reliance on abstract nouns and reflective adverbs. Prefixes such as co-, re-, and en- further emphasize theological cooperation, continuity, and divine action. Words like conversion, responsibility, and community not only carry structural significance but reflect the Church’s ideological commitments. While limited to structural categorization, the study shows that affixation in ecclesiastical discourse serves both grammatical and doctrinal functions. Ultimately, the speech demonstrates how derivational morphology supports the creation of a dignified, authoritative, and spiritually resonant language.