You are on page 1of 23

MORPHOLOGY

THE STUDY OF WORD FORM


Presenter:

WAN MOHD IZZAT BIN HJ. WAN NORAZMEE MUHAMMAD EHSAN BIN HJ. ABD. HALIM
PISMP-IPGM F5 SCIENCE SEMESTER 5 IPG IPOH

Guidance lecturer:

MISS LIZAROSE BINTI ABDULLAH


LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT IPG IPOH
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 1

DEFINITION
o Morpheme is an element of word structure. o Allomorph is various form of same morphemes. o The study of meaning in individual units of language @ the identification, analysis and description of the structure of words o It is concerned with the structure of words. o The smallest unit of meaning is a morpheme. o Morphemes can be classified as either free or bound.
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 2

STUDY OF MORPHEME

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

BRANCHES OF MORPHEMES STUDY

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

BRANCHES OF MORPHEMES STUDY

MORPHEMES

FREE ALLOMORPHS

BOUND

DERIVATIONAL

INFECTIONAL

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

FREE MORPHEME

o A unit of meaning which can stand alone or alongside another free or bound morpheme. o These are usually individual words, such as: i. Lid ii. Sink iii. Air iv. Car

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

BOUND MORPHEME

o A unit of meaning which can only exist alongside a free morpheme. o These are most commonly prefixes and suffixes: i. ii. iii. iv. ungrateful Insufficient childish goodness

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME

o Derivation is used to form new words, as with happiness and un-happy from happy, or determination from determine. o A contrast is intended with the process of inflection, which uses another kind of affix in order to form variants of the same word, as with determine / determine-s / determin-ing / determin-ed. o Derivational morphemes can be added to a word to create (derive) another word.
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 8

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME

o A derivational suffix usually applies to words of one syntactic category and changes them into words of another syntactic category. o For example, the English derivational suffix -ly changes adjectives into adverbs (slow slowly).

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME

Some examples of English derivational suffixes:  adjective-to-noun  adjective-to-verb  noun-to-adjective  noun-to-verb  verb-to-adjective  verb-to-noun (abstract)  verb-to-noun (concrete) : -ness (slow slowness) : -ise (modern modernise) : -al (recreation recreational) : -fy (glory glorify) : -able (drink drinkable) : -ance (deliver deliverance) : --er (write-writer)

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

10

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME
o Although derivational affixes do not necessarily modify the syntactic category, they modify the meaning of the base. o In many cases, derivational affixes change both the syntactic category and the meaning: modern modernize ("to make modern"). o The modification of meaning is sometimes predictable: Adjective + ness the state of being (Adjective); (white whiteness)
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 11

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME
o A prefix (write re-write; lord over-lord) will rarely change syntactic category in English. The derivational prefix un- applies to adjectives (healthy unhealthy), some verbs (do undo), but rarely nouns. o A few exceptions are the prefixes en- and be-. En(em- before labials) is usually used as a transitive marker on verbs, but can also be applied to adjectives and nouns to form transitive verb: circle (verb) encircle (verb); but rich (adj) enrich (verb), large (adj) enlarge (verb), rapture (noun) enrapture (verb), slave (noun) enslave (verb).
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 12

DERIVATIONAL MORPEHEME

o Derivation may occur without any change of form, for example telephone (noun) and to telephone. o This is known as conversion or zero derivation. Some linguists consider that when a word's syntactic category is changed without any change of form, a null morpheme is being affixed.

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

13

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES

o Creates an awareness of meaning at a sub-lexical level. That is, we can deconstruct a word and consider its component parts. o The stems, roots, prefixes, and suffixes of words can be recognized. This can throw light on etymology (the origins of the word) thus giving us more power to communicate efficiently.

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

14

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES

 Free morphemes are units of meaning which cannot be split into anything smaller, as in the following examples: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Tree Gate Pillow Butter Flower Rhinoceros
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 15

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES

 However, the terms 'gate', 'butter' and 'flower' can also exist alongside another free morpheme. The following examples comprise two free morphemes:

i. Gatepost ii. Buttermilk iii. sunflower

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

16

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES


 Bound morphemes are also units of meaning which cannot be split into anything smaller.  However, they are different from free morphemes because they cannot exist alone.  They must be bound to one or more free morphemes. Almost all prefixes and suffixes are bound morphemes. i. ii. iii. iv. asymmetrical Subordinate unnecessary empower
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

i. ii. iii. iv.

cowardic minty fruitful swimming


17

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES

 The following words are made up of two free morphemes or components which could stand alone and retain their meaning. i. ii. iii. iv. Inkwell Mothball Sunflower Slapstick

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

18

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES


 Note that morphemes can only be classified according to their given semantic context.  E.g; The word 'elephant' which is a free morpheme. Although it is a lengthy word, it cannot be split up into any smaller units of meaning within this particular context.  The final three letters of elephant may spell 'ant', but that unit of meaning does not exist in the context of the term 'elephant'.
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 19

USES OF MORPHOLOGY STUDIES


 Take the word 'ant' as a separate unit of meaning referring to a small insect. In that context 'ant' is a free morpheme. Add another free morpheme in the form of 'hill' and we have a word comprising two free morphemes - 'anthill'.  The unit 'ant' can also be classified separately as a bound morpheme in yet another context. The term 'ant' can act as a prefix in the word 'antacid'. As such, it is a bound morpheme because its meaning only exists in conjunction with the free morpheme 'acid'.
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 20

Morpheme = an element of word structure -the smallest unit of grammatical function/analysis, the next unit of grammatical importance is the word. Allomorph = Various form of same morphemes. Syntax = Internal grammatical structure of phrases, clauses, & sentences Semantic = study of meaning of words Pragmatics = Word association & connotation Morphology = the study of word form Phonology = the study of the function & organization of sounds in a particular language. A morpheme can be a word, whilst a word is not necessarily a morpheme but may consist of many morphemes.
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010 21

Common examples of inflections

Part of speech

Morpheme

Function
3rd function Singular (he, she, it) (present tense) Past tense Past participle Progressive aspect / continuous Plural

Example

[s]

Proves

Verb

[ed] [en] [ing]

Proved Proven Was proving Is proving Boys Boys Bigger Biggest


22

noun Adjective

[s] [er] [est]

Comparative Superlative
WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

Derivation = is a affix used to change form & meaning from a lexical point with a change in part of speech. E.g; noun[Universe] become adjective [Universal], add suffix [ity] becomes [universality]

WAN MOHD IZZAT 2010

23

You might also like