Morphology An Introduction to the Structure of Words By Christian Monson

Goals Introduction to morphology –look at one interesting morphological phenomenon—allomorphy To help you read linguistic texts –what features can morphemes realize

What is a Word? There are no spaces in spoken language Hewenttotownonhishorse

Example of Words (Hungarian) a)Jánosénekel John sings b)Máriaénekel Mary sings c)Máriafut Mary runs

Example of Words (Hungarian) a)Jánosénekel John sings b)Máriaénekel Mary sings c)Máriafut Mary runs

What is a Word? Possible Criteria –Recurring units of form and meaning –The smallest things you can say in isolation –Pauses are not possible inside a word There are many exceptions to these rules –Linguists always qualify what they mean by a word In this class words will be separated by spaces. –Even if the orthography of the language does not use spaces

Morphemes Smallest unit of form and meaning –Here too there are exceptions but most linguists pretend that morphemes really do exist

Example of Morphemes (Hungarian again) keresekI seek kereselyou seek kereshe/she/it seeks hiszekI believe hiszelyou believe hiszhe/she/it believes

Example of Morphemes (Hungarian again) keresekI seek kereselyou seek keresØhe/she/it seeks hiszekI believe hiszelyou believe hiszØhe/she/it believes

Allomorphs Same meaning Different form Complementary distribution

Allomorphy Example: English Plural bags, crabs, accidents, names, lollipops, brushes, churches, maps, toes, faces, beds, books, prizes, flies, giraffes, deaths, judges, garages…

Allomorphy Example: English Plural bags, crabs, accidents, names, lollipops, brushes, churches, maps, toes, faces, beds, books, prizes, flies, giraffes, deaths, judges, garages… sz*z accidentsbedsfaces booksbagsprizes lollipopscrabschurches mapsnamesbrushes giraffestoesjudges deathsfliesgarages * = reduced vowel

Allomorph Environments Each allomorph has a separate environment Environments are complementary –Wrong: s occurs after consonants –Because: z and *z also occur after consonants Environments are complete –Wrong: z occurs after vowels –Because: z also occurs after voiced non-sibilants No unused environments –Wrong (usually): The plural of words ending in the phoneme p do not exist

English Plural Cont. Identify the allomorph environments Generalize if possible –may require phonology—not covered in this class.

English Plural Cont. Identify the allomorph environments Generalize if possible –may require phonology—not covered in this class. Allomorphsz*z Environment???

English Plural Cont. Identify the allomorph environments Generalize if possible –may require phonology—not covered in this class. Allomorphsz*z Word-Final Phoneme t, k, p, f, th(voiceless) d, g, b, m, v, l, r, and vowels s, z, ch, sh, dg, ž

English Plural Cont. Identify the allomorph environments Generalize if possible –may require phonology—not covered in this class. Allomorphsz*z Word-Final Phoneme t, k, p, f, th(voiceless) d, g, b, m, v, l, r, and vowels s, z, ch, sh, dg, ž Generalize???

English Plural Cont. Identify the allomorph environments Generalize if possible –may require phonology—not covered in this class. Allomorphsz*z Word-Final Phoneme t, k, p, f, th(voiceless) d, g, b, m, v, l, r, and vowels s, z, ch, sh, dg, ž Generalize voiceless non-sibilant consonants voiced non-sibilant sounds sibilants

Complementary Distribution

All Sounds (consonants + vowels)

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …)

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …) Sibilants (s, z, sh, ch, dg, …)

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …) Sibilants (s, z, sh, ch, dg, …) Voiced (b, d, dg, g, l, m, …)

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …) Sibilants (s, z, sh, ch, dg, …) Voiced (b, d, dg, g, l, m, …) *z

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …) Sibilants (s, z, sh, ch, dg, …) Voiced (b, d, dg, g, l, m, …) *z s

Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels) Consonants (b, d, f, g, k, l, m, …) Sibilants (s, z, sh, ch, dg, …) Voiced (b, d, dg, g, l, m, …) z *z s

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg hoz-okvár-okszűn-ökhisz-ek bring-1sgPreswait-1sgPrescease-1sgPresbelieve-1sgPres keres-ektud-okisz-okkér-ek seek-1sgPresknow-1sgPresdrink-1sgPresask-1sgPres mos-okvesz-ekad-okhív-ok wash-1sgPresbuy-1sgPresgive-1sgPrescall-1sgPres köt-öküt-ökfőz-öktart-ok tie-1sgPreshit-1sgPrescook-1sgPreshold-1sgPres

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg okekök ad-okisz-okvesz-ekköt-ök give-1sgPresdrink-1sgPresbuy-1sgPrestie-1sgPres tart-okhív-okkeres-ekfőz-ök hold-1sgPrescall-1sgPresseek-1sgPrescook-1sgPres vár-okhoz-okkér-eküt-ök wait-1sgPresbring-1sgPresask-1sgPreshit-1sgPres tud-okmos-okhisz-ekszűn-ök know-1sgPreswash-1sgPresbelieve-1sgPrescease-1sgPres

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Environment???

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized ???

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels Front Vowels

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

Allomorphy Example: Hungarian Present Tense 1sg Allomorphokekök Stem Vowela, á, (i), í, o, ó, u, úe, é, (i)ö, ő, ü, ű Generalized backfrontfront-rounded All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

Features Nouns

Features Nouns –number singular, dual, plural –case nominative, accusative, dative, … –gender/class male, female, neuter animate, inanimate, man-made object, shape, …

Features Verbs

Features Verbs –Person first, second, third, third person far removed, … –Number –Tense present, past, future, remote past,... –Aspect perfective, imperfective, habitual, repetitive, … –Mood indicative, conditional, subjunctive (doubt or possibility), …

Other Parts of Speech Adjectives Adverbs Determiners and Specifiers

Other Parts of Speech Adjectives –Degree positive, comparative, superlative, etc. –Number, Gender, Case Adverbs –Degree, … Determiners and Specifiers –Case –Who knows! This is what Linguists try to elicit and categorize