English Morphology

Focus

What is a word? How do new words enter a language?

Morphology

The study of words Perceptual units, not physical units Concept of word associated with written language than spoken language

How words are formed

Morphemes

Free morphemes-units that can stand alone as words by themselves

tree

Bound morphemes-units that must be attached or bound to a free morpheme

trees

Bound morphemes

Affixes (prefix/suffix) Inflectional morphemes add to a word without changing the part of speech
Does not change the meaning of the base word 8 inflectional affixes in English

-s, -es (plural), -s (possessive), -s, -ing, -ed, -en (show tense), -er, -est (show comparison)

Derivational affixes when added to a base word, a new word is derived

May change the part of speech of the base word

English Morphemes
Free Morphemes Tree Bound Morphemes Prefixes Derivational (un-) Suffixes: Derivational (-ion) Inflectional (-s)

Prefixes help readers understand the meaning of a word. Suffixes tell more about the part of speech than the meaning of the word.

Types of Words

Simple words

Words with just one free morpheme

Tree

Complex words

Words with a free morpheme and one or more bound morphemes

trees

Compound words

Words that consist of two free morphemes

teacup

Word Classifying

Content Words

Parts of speech
Noun Verb Adjectives adverbs

Parts of speech Noun

Can add these inflectional suffixes ~s or ~es (plural): trees, bushes s (possessive): animals

Can add these derivational suffixes Commencement Prevention Neatness Clarity Dependence Farmer parachutist Classify Characterize evaluate

Verb

~s (third-person singular): He walks. ~ing (progressive): He is walking. ~ed (past): He walked. ~en (past participle): He has driven ~er (comparative): Bigger/faster est (superlative): Biggest/fastest

Adjective Adverb

Mischievous Colorful Festive Regal Flexible

Function Words

Determiners Quantifiers Pronouns Auxiliaries Prepositions Conjunctions Intensifiers Particles

Types of Function Words

Type
Determiners Quantifiers Pronouns Auxiliaries Prepositions Conjunctions Particles Intensifiers

Example
The One You Is In And Up Rather

Example
This Every Yourself Has Before If Down Very My

Example
Several Who Might Of However Around so

How New Words Enter a Language

Coining-someone makes up a name for an object and the name sticks Compounding-joining two free morphemes. Clipping-when a word is shortened

Mathematics-math Gasoline-gas

How New Words Enter a Language

Acronyms-words made up of the first letters of several words. Acro is Greek for high, so acronyms are high names, names made up of the tall (capital) first letters. Scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus)

How New Words Enter a Language

Blending-combining two words

Brunch (breakfast + lunch) Motel (motor + hotel)

Peddler peddle

Back-formation-noun to verb

Borrowing-using words from other languages

Boutique (French)

Text Analysis

Take a passage of one hundred consecutive words. Working in pairs, classify each word by placing it on a chart similar to the one that follows. All function words go in the rightmost column. If a word is repeated, list it each time it appears.

Text Analysis
SIMPLE NOUNS BOY COMPLEX BOYS COMPOUND
TOOTHBRUSH

FUNCTION THE THROUGH

VERBS

GO

PRIORITIZE
UNSATISFACTORY

ADJECTIVES GREEN

ADVERBS

FAST

SLOWLY

Analyze your results

What percent of the words are function words? What percent are simple words? What percent are complex words with inflection suffixes? What percent are complex words with derivational suffixes? What percent are compound words?