Overview
This lecture covers morphemes, the smallest meaningful units in language, and explains their types, functions, and notation conventions.
Morphemes: Definition and Types
- A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit in a language.
- Morphemes can be roots (like "lime") or affixes (like "-s" for plural).
- Roots have core meaning and can sometimes stand alone.
- Affixes modify roots and usually cannot stand alone.
- Morphemes are sound-meaning combinations that cannot be split further and retain meaning.
Knowing a Morpheme: Three Aspects
- You must know where a morpheme goes in relation to the root (e.g., before, after, inside).
- You must know its meaning.
- You must know its pronunciation.
Free vs. Bound Morphemes
- Free morphemes can stand alone as words (e.g., "lime").
- Bound morphemes cannot stand alone and must combine with other morphemes (e.g., "-s", "re-").
Affix Types
- Prefix: attaches before the root (e.g., "re-" in "rewrite").
- Suffix: attaches after the root (e.g., "-ness" in "happiness").
- Infix: inserted within the root (e.g., "-ma-" in "edumacate").
- Circumfix: surrounds the root with parts before and after (e.g., "ke-...-an" in Malay).
Base vs. Root
- The base is the form affixes attach to; it may be more complex than a root.
- All roots can be bases, but not all bases are roots.
Issues with Meaning and Historical Roots
- Not all sound patterns functioning as roots retain independent meaning in modern language (e.g., "sieve" in "receive," "deceive").
- For analysis, only treat parts as morphemes if they have a clear, current meaning.
Notating Morphemes with Hyphens
- No hyphens: free morpheme (e.g., "lime").
- Hyphen after: prefix (e.g., "re-").
- Hyphen before: suffix (e.g., "-ness").
- Hyphens on both sides: infix (e.g., "-ma-").
- Hyphen placement is crucial for clarity.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Morpheme — smallest unit of meaning in a language.
- Root — core morpheme with main meaning; base for affixes.
- Affix — morpheme attached to a root; includes prefixes, suffixes, infixes, circumfixes.
- Free Morpheme — can stand alone as a word.
- Bound Morpheme — cannot stand alone; must combine with others.
- Prefix — affix before the root.
- Suffix — affix after the root.
- Infix — affix inserted inside the root.
- Circumfix — affix with parts before and after the root.
- Base — form to which an affix attaches, may be more complex than a root.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice identifying morphemes in words in the upcoming exercise.
- Pay attention to proper hyphen notation for morphemes.