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Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

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Page 1: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Productivity & Constrains on

Productivity Lec. 5

Page 2: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The open-endedness of lexicon

Morphological theorizing & the formation of words (established words +freshly coined words)

Lexicon vs. syntax Word formation rules are passive: to

analyze existing words rather that to create new ones

Page 3: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The open-endedness of lexicon

In principle, no word is infinite in length, but there is no upper limit to the formation of bases (e.g. uncomplicatedness).

Borrowing & the lexicon of a language Morphology is productive

Page 4: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

What is productivity? Productivity & generality: the more

general a word-formation process is, the more productive it will be assumed to be.

1. Productivity is a matter of degree2. Productivity is subject to the dimension

of time

Productivity and the inherent ambiguity

Page 5: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Productivity, Time dimension & Fashion

Singular

I take Thou takest He, she taketh

Plural

We take Ou take They take

Page 6: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Exercise -id -ist -er

morbid anarchist worker

tepid communist painter

timid pianist swimmer

splendid violinist dancer

horrid racist jogger

Buddhist vs. *Muhammedist

Latin suffix*unproductive/

frozen

Mid-way suffix*Unexplainable

gaps

Germanicproductive

Page 7: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The suffix -itis The suffix (–itis) is (Greek origin) is suffixed

to form the feminine of adjectives It is used in modern medical English to

form words referring to inflammatory diseases, e.g. arthritis

the words suffixed with (-itis) are fewer than those suffixed with (–er), however the former suffix (-itis) attaches with an extremely high degree of regularity to most suitable bases.

Page 8: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The suffix -itis Cephalitis Hepatitis Vaginitis Neuritis Bronchitis Arthritis

Page 9: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The suffix -ant The suffix (–ant) (Latin origin) is

suffixed to turns a verbal base into an agentive nominal.

There is some restriction (historical) to the bases to which the suffix –ant is attached.

Page 10: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The suffix -ant The base is originally Latin, so it attaches to Latin

bases only. Germanic bases are not allowed.

dependent participant assistant servant consultant *wri(e)tant *buildant *shoutant

Page 11: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

The suffix -ant Semantically, the –ant has

unpredictable effects, and the meaning of words created by suffixing –ant is inconsistent

defendant vs. accountant

Page 12: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Productivity & Creativity Productivity = creativity The capacity of all human languages to

use finite means to produce an infinite number of words & utterances

In the scope of morphology, creativity can be seen in 2 ways:

1. Rule-governed creativity2. Rule-bending creativity

Page 13: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Productivity & Creativity 1. Words are formed following general rules

and principles internalized by speakers in the process of language acquisition (quick quickly) or (post postwar)

2. however, speaker have the ability to extend the stock of words idiomatically, producing words without following the standard rules of word-formation.

Stool pigeon / security reasons/ collateral damage/ anti-terror law / deadline

Page 14: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Constrains on Productivity Blocking (i) Blocking may be due to the prior existence of another word with the same meaning that the new word would have , i.e. Perfect synonyms are avoided. Thief *stealer

Page 15: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Constrains on Productivity Blocking (ii) If there are two semantically similar morphemes, one of which is more productive than the other, the more productive morpheme is less likely to blocking than its less productive counterpart.-ness & -ity

Page 16: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Examples -ness & -ity

X + (-ous)adjective

Pre-existing

Noun

Noun (-ness)

More productive

Noun (-ity)Less

productive

Glorious glory Gloriousness *Gloriosity

Furious Fury Furiousness *Furiosity

Couragous Courage Courageousness

*Couragity

Spacious space spaciousness *spaciosity

Page 17: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

blocking The concept of blocking is due to a

number of factors; these factors may be (i) phonological, (ii) morphological, (iii) semantic, or (iv) aesthetic.

Page 18: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

1. Phonological factors

Verbs with the meaning ‘to begin x’ can be usually formed from adjectives by suffixing (-en) to an adjectival base provided which meets the following phonetic conditions: The base must be monosyllabic The base must end in (stop/ fricative)

which may be optionally preceded by a (nasal consonant/ or approximate)

Page 19: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Blocking -en

Allowed verbs blacken dampen quieten soften whiten harden fasten

*disallowed verbs

dryen blueen greenen dimmen

Page 20: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Blocking -lyAdverbs, in general, are can be usually formed from adjectives by suffixing (-ly) to an adjectival base: The (-ly) suffix tends to be avoided

where an adjective ends in (-ly)

Page 21: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Blocking -ly

allowed grand – grandly clever – cleverly fierce – fiercely elegant –

elegantly serious – seriously

*disallowed sillyly friendlyly miserlyly sisterlyly

Page 22: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

2. morphological factors

The morphological properties of a base may prevent the application of morphological rules. Often native morphemes behave differently from foreign morphemes. Some affixes may only be added either to native bases or bases of foreign origin.

Page 23: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Velar softening According to the rule of velar softening,

the /k/, is usually spelled as the letter (c) when attached to words of Latin & French origin.

/k/ /s/ cynic cynicism critic criticism fanatic fanaticism sceptic scepticism

Page 24: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Blocking -hood Allowed

native bases

boyhood girlhood motherhood fatherhood sisterhood brotherhood manhood womanhood

*disallowedForeign bases

Judgehood Authorhood Prisonerhood Colonelhood Generalhood Governerhood

Page 25: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Note The distinction between native & borrowed

morphemes is very important. However, we should be careful not to press this too far.

There are roots borrowed from French, yet they can take the suffix –hood.

With the passage of time, foreign morphemes can be fully assimilated and nativised so that they behave in the same way as indigenous morphemes.

E.g. parenthood – statehood - nationhood

Page 26: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

3. Semantic factors Semantic considerations may be

involved in the application of word-formation processes.

For example, forming compounds from adjectives plus past participle is not always allowed.

Page 27: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Examples

allowed short-sleeved short-sighted green-roofed blue-eyed one-armed three-legged red-nosed red-haired

disallowed *Two-carred *Three-housed

Page 28: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

3. Semantic factors If there are 2 adjectives with opposite

meanings, one of which has a more positive meaning than the other, normally the negative prefix (–un) attaches to the positive adjective

If (–un) is attached to the negative member of the pair, the resulting word is usually ill-formed.

Page 29: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

Examples

allowed unwell unloved unhappy unwise unclean unoptimistic

disallowed *unill *unhated *unsad *unfoolish *unfilthy, * undirty *unpessimistic

Page 30: Productivity & Constrains on Productivity Lec. 5

4. Aesthetic factors & the adoption of words

Word-formation sometimes is inhibited by vague aesthetic factors. In principle, there are many words well-formed words whose adoption has nevertheless been resisted.

e.g. stagflation (stagnation + inflation)