MORPHOLOGY

Word Classes and Affixes

READ 7370: Linguistics for EducatorsDr. Melissa Comer

Main Divisions of Word Classes (Parts of Speech):

Content Words

Function Words

• Nouns • Verbs • Adjectives• Adverbs

• Conjunctions• Prepositions• Articles• Pronouns

Morpheme: The minimal unit of meaning

Free morpheme: a single morpheme that constitutes a word and can stand alone.

Bound morpheme: a morpheme that must be attached to another morpheme.

Example of Bound/Free

Morphemes Retroactive = retro + act + ive

Free morpheme = actBound morpheme = retro-, -ive

English Affixes(based on the position)

Prefix: An affix that occurs before a morpheme

Suffix: An affix that occurs after a morpheme

English Prefixes

Examples of Negative Prefixes:un- non- dis- a-

Examples of size and degree prefixes:mini- sub- over- super-

English Suffixes

Class preserving suffixation:-er lecturer-ian librarian-ist scientist-let piglet

Class changing suffixation: Verb Noun perform performanceAdjective Adverb nice nicelyAdjective Noun active activity

Affixes(based on the function)

Inflections vs. Derivations Inflections vs. Derivations

Definition

Derivational morpheme: deriving (creating) a new word with a new meaning.

Inflectional morpheme: changing the form of a word because of the rules of syntax.

English Inflectional Morphemes

Nouns–s plural–’s possessive

Verbs –s third person singular

present–ed past tense–en past participle–ing progressive

Adjectives–er comparative–est superlative

Some examples of English Derivational Morpheme

-ic : Noun Adj ; alcohol alcoholic -ance : Verb Noun ; clear clearance -ly : Adj Adv ; exact exactly -ity : Adj Noun ; active activity -able : Verb Adj ; read readable -ship : Noun Noun ; friend friendship

re- : Verb Verb ; cover recover

in- : Adj Adj ; definite indefinite

Describe the italic affixes:

1) impossible2) terrorized3) terrorize4) desks5) dislike6) humanity7) fastest

1) Derivational prefix

2) Inflectional suffix

3) Derivational suffix

4) Inflectional suffix

5) Derivational prefix

6) Derivational suffix

7) Inflectional suffix

Describe the italic affixes:

8) premature9) untie10) darken11) fallen12) oxen13) faster14) lecturer

8) Derivational prefix

9) Derivational prefix

10) Derivational suffix

11) Inflectional suffix

12) Inflectional suffix

13) Inflectional suffix

14) Derivational suffix