Overview
This lecture explains how complex words are constructed in English using morphemes, introduces inflectional and derivational morphemes, and details how their order affects word formation.
Morphological Structure of Words
- Complex words are built by combining smaller units called morphemes (e.g., "uneventfulness" = un + event + ful + ness).
- You do not memorize every complex word; you store morphemes and rules for combining them.
- The principle of compositionality: words are systematically assembled from morphemes.
- Morpheme templates specify how morphemes combine (e.g., "ex-", "partner," and plural "-s").
Morpheme Templates and Trees
- The plural "-s" (Za) attaches to nouns to make new nouns (e.g., "dogs," "cats").
- The prefix "ex-" attaches to nouns and creates nouns (e.g., "ex-partner" means "former partner").
- "Morpheme trees" (or structures) show the order of morpheme attachment.
- For "ex-partners," two possible trees: add "-s" to "partner" first, or "ex-" first—morpheme rules are needed to pick the correct one.
Inflectional vs. Derivational Morphemes
- Inflectional morphemes (like plural "-s") create grammatical versions of words (don't change core meaning or syntactic category).
- English inflectional morphemes include: plural -s, 3rd person present -s, past tense -ed, progressive -ing, perfect aspect -en, comparative -er, superlative -est, possessive -'s.
- Only one inflectional morpheme can appear in an English word.
- Derivational morphemes (like "ex-," "-ly," or agentive "-er") create new words and may change the word’s category or meaning.
- Not all derivational morphemes change syntactic category (e.g., "ex-" and some uses of "-er").
Determining Morpheme Type and Order
- If an affix changes the category, it is definitely derivational; if not, check other properties.
- Inflection always attaches last in word formation, after any derivational morphemes.
- For "ex-partners," the correct morpheme tree attaches "ex-" to "partner" first, then the plural "-s."
Key Terms & Definitions
- Morpheme — the smallest unit of meaning in a language.
- Morpheme template — the pattern specifying how morphemes combine.
- Inflectional morpheme — adds grammatical information without changing core meaning or syntactic category.
- Derivational morpheme — creates new words, possibly changing meaning or category.
- Morpheme tree — diagram showing morpheme attachment order.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice drawing morpheme trees and doing morphological analysis.
- Review the list of English inflectional morphemes.
- Prepare for further analysis and examples in the next lecture.