morphemes

A. A. Definition Definition of of MorphemeMorphemeA morpheme is a short segment of A morpheme is a short segment of language that meets three criterialanguage that meets three criteria::

e.ge.g..The word straightThe word straight

11))It is a word or a part of a word that hasIt is a word or a part of a word that has meaningmeaning..

22))ItIt cannot be divided into smallercannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts without violation ofmeaningful parts without violation of

its meaning or without meaninglessits meaning or without meaningless remaindersremainders..

33))ItIt recurs in differing verbalrecurs in differing verbal environments with a relatively stableenvironments with a relatively stable

meaningmeaning..

e.ge.g..11--it isit is aa word and can be found listed inword and can be found listed in

any dictionaryany dictionary . .

22--cannotcannot be divided withoutbe divided without violation ofviolation of meaningmeaning..

33--straight recurs with astraight recurs with a relatively stablerelatively stable meaning,meaning, straighten- a straight linestraighten- a straight line..

EExercixercise se 88--11

EExercixercise se 88-2-2

EExercixercise se 88--33

BB.Free .Free andand Bound Bound MorphemesMorphemes

A free morpheme is one that can be utteredA free morpheme is one that can be uttered alone with meaning. For instance , Eatalone with meaning. For instance , Eat

A bound morpheme, unlike the free, cannot A bound morpheme, unlike the free, cannot be uttered alone with meaningbe uttered alone with meaning..

e.ge.g..

anteante--,,rere--

CC..BasesBasesAnother classification of morphemes puts Another classification of morphemes puts

them into two classesthem into two classes::

BasesBases and affixesand affixes..

11))A base morpheme is the part of a wordA base morpheme is the part of a word that has principal meaning :that has principal meaning :denidenialal,, lovlovable.able. Bases are very numerous and most ofBases are very numerous and most of them them are free morphemes; but someare free morphemes; but some areare bound , bound , like- sent in consent. Alike- sent in consent. A word mayword may contain contain one base and several affixesone base and several affixes.. e.ge.g..

ReaReadabdabilityility

Webster’s New Collegiate DictionaryWebster’s New Collegiate Dictionary::

11{:){:)phot - , photo - (light) ; xer - , phot - , photo - (light) ; xer - , xero - (dry); bi-, bio - xero - (dry); bi-, bio - (life) ; mis -, (life) ; mis -, miso - (hate) ; ge-, geo-miso - (hate) ; ge-, geo-(earth); (earth); biblio- (book); - biblio- (book); - meter (measure) ; meter (measure) ;

tele -, tel - (distant)tele -, tel - (distant) ; ;

- -Phil ,- Phil ,- phile(lover) ; - logy phile(lover) ; - logy science or study ofscience or study of}}

D . Difficulties in Morphemic Analysis

1)1)The first difficulty is that you have your The first difficulty is that you have your own individual stock of morphemesown individual stock of morphemes.. For exampleFor example,, Tom may think of Tom may think of automobile as automobile as ,,one morpheme one morpheme meaning meaning ““carcar",", whereas whereas Dick may Dick may know the morphemes know the morphemes autoauto))selfself))and and mobilemobile ))movingmoving),), and recognize them in and recognize them in other words like autographsother words like autographs

D.Difficulties in Morphemic Analysis

22))TheThe second difficulty is that second difficulty is that personspersons

may know a given morphememay know a given morpheme but but differdiffer

in the degree to which theyin the degree to which they are are awareaware

of its presence in various wordsof its presence in various words..

e.g.Agentive suffix (spelled –er, -or, -Agentive suffix (spelled –er, -or, -

ar) ar) meaning” one who, that meaning” one who, that which," andwhich," and recognize it recognize it in words in words

like singer and actor but what like singer and actor but what about about in professor and sweaterin professor and sweater..

D.Difficulties in Morphemic Analysis

33))AnotherAnother problem problem results from theresults from the fact thatfact that metaphors metaphors die as die as language changeslanguage changes.. e.g.

MorphemeMorpheme ––prehendprehend ––In In apprehendapprehend ((==to arrest or seizeto arrest or seize))

EE..AffixesAffixesAn affix is a boundAn affix is a bound morpheme morpheme thatthat occurs before or within occurs before or within

oror after a after a basebase..There are three kindsThere are three kinds,,::

11--prefixes,prefixes,2-2-infixes,infixes, 3-3-suffixessuffixes..

11))PrefixesPrefixes areare those bound morphemesthose bound morphemes thatthat occur before a base, as in import,occur before a base, as in import, prefix, prefix, reconsider. Prefixes in Englishreconsider. Prefixes in English are a smallare a small classclass..

EE..AffixesAffixes22))Infixes are bound morphemesInfixes are bound morphemes thatthat

have been insertedhave been inserted within a within a word. word. In EnglishIn English these arethese are rare. rare. Occasionally they are Occasionally they are additions additions within awithin a word, But word, But infixes in infixes in EnglishEnglish are mostare most commonly commonly

replacements,replacements, not not additionsadditions..

They occur in a few noun plurlas, likeThey occur in a few noun plurlas, like the-ee- in geese, replacing thethe-ee- in geese, replacing the ––oo-oo- of of goosegoose..

EE..AffixesAffixes3)Suffixes are bound morphemes that

occur after a base, like shrinkage, failure.

Suffixes may pile up to the number or three or four , whereas prefixes are commonly single, except for the negative un-before another prefix.

e.ge.g..

nornormalizmalizersers

F.F.InflectionalInflectional AffixesAffixes

The inflectional affixes can be schematized The inflectional affixes can be schematized as followsas follows::

F.F.InflectionalInflectional AffixesAffixesTheThe words to which these affixes are words to which these affixes are attached are called stems .The stem attached are called stems .The stem includes the base or bases and all the includes the base or bases and all the derivational affixes. derivational affixes. playboysplayboys is playboy is playboy and that ofand that of beautified is beautifybeautified is beautify..

The inflectional suffixes differ from the The inflectional suffixes differ from the derivational suffixes in the followingderivational suffixes in the following waysways::

11--TheyThey do not change the part of speechdo not change the part of speech..Example: Example: cold cold , , coldercolder))bothboth adjectivesadjectives))

F.F.InflectionalInflectional AffixesAffixes

22--TheyThey come last in a wordcome last in a word..

Examples:Examples: shortenedshortened..

33--TheyThey go with all stems of a given part ofgo with all stems of a given part of speechspeech..

Examples:Examples: He eats , drinksHe eats , drinks..

44--TheyThey do not pile up; only one ends ado not pile up; only one ends a wordword..

Examples:Examples: workingworking..

G.G.DerivationalDerivational SuffixesSuffixes

The characteristics of derivational suffixesThe characteristics of derivational suffixes::

11..The words with which derivationalThe words with which derivational suffixessuffixes combine is an arbitrary matter. Tocombine is an arbitrary matter. To make amake a noun from the verb noun from the verb adornadorn we must add we must add

mentment..-- EExercixercise se 88-13-13


22..InIn many cases, but not all, amany cases, but not all, a derivationalderivational suffix changes the part of speechsuffix changes the part of speech of theof the word to which it is added. The nounword to which it is added. The noun actact becomes anbecomes an adjective by the addition of adjective by the addition of ––iveive..



33..Derivational suffixes usually doDerivational suffixes usually do not closenot close off aoff a word: that is, after a derivational word: that is, after a derivational suffix one can sometimes add anothersuffix one can sometimes add another derivational suffixderivational suffix..


The derivational paradigm is a set ofThe derivational paradigm is a set of related words related words composed of the same base morpheme andcomposed of the same base morpheme and all the all the derivational affixes that can go with this basederivational affixes that can go with this base..

Example:Example:man,manly,mannish,manfulman,manly,mannish,manful..



alamal

stopped her

HH..Suffixal Suffixal HomophonesHomophones11--TheThe inflectional morpheme inflectional morpheme }-}-ER cpER cp{{hashas twotwo

homophoneshomophones.. a.a. TheThe first is the derivational suffix first is the derivational suffix }-}-ER ER nn{,{,which is attached towhich is attached to verbs toverbs to form nouns form nouns like hunterlike hunter, , fisherfisher..

b.b.TheThe second derivationalsecond derivational ––er morphemeer morpheme appears at the end of words like chatterappears at the end of words like chatter,, muttermutter..

ThisThis }-}-ER rpER rp{{ coveys the meaning ofcoveys the meaning of repetitionrepetition..

HH..Suffixal Suffixal HomophonesHomophones22--TheThe verbal inflectional suffixverbal inflectional suffix {-{-ING vbING vb}} hashas two two

homophones inhomophones in ––inging..a.a. The first one is the nominal derivational suffixThe first one is the nominal derivational suffix {-{-ING ING nmnm},},which is found in wordswhich is found in words like meetingslike meetings, , weddingsweddings..

b.b.TheThe second homophone ofsecond homophone of {-{-ING vbING vb} } is theis the adjectival adjectival morphememorpheme {-{-ING ajING aj}} ,, as in aas in a charming womancharming woman . .

TheThe verbalverbal {-{-ING vbING vb}} cancan usually occur afterusually occur after as well as as well as before the noun it modifies before the noun it modifies ,,ee..gg,.,.

I saw a burning I saw a burning househouse..

HH..Suffixal Suffixal HomophonesHomophones

3 )The verbal inflectional {-D} has 1 homophones a)in the adjectival

derivational {-D aj},as in:

Helen was excited about her new job.

b.The verbal {-D pp}does not accept such modifiers. EExercixercise se 88-20-20

HH..Suffixal Suffixal HomophonesHomophones

44 ) )a.a. The adverbial derivationalThe adverbial derivational suffixsuffix {-{-LY avLY av}} is added to mostis added to most adjectives to formadjectives to form adverbs of adverbs of

mannermanner,, as in richas in rich,, richlyrichly..

b.b.DerivationalDerivational suffixsuffix {-{-LY ajLY aj}} anan adjectival morphemeadjectival morpheme . .

ExamplesExamples::lovelove,,lovelylovely..

morphemes

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