MORPHOLOGY The study of the internal structure of words, and of the rules by which words are formed Morpheme – Derived from the Greek word morphe meaning “form.” The linguistic term for the most elemental unit of grammatical form
LEXICON The Greek word for dictionary, or the words that make up linguistic knowledge When one learns sounds and their associated meaning, they know the word. 6 yrs old = 13,000 High School = 60,000
Examples of Morphemes One morpheme boy desire Two morphemes boy + ish desire + able Three morphemes boy + ish + ness desire + able + ity Four morphemes gentle+man+li+ness un+desire+able+ity More than four un+gentle+man+li+ness morphemes anti+dis+establish+ment+ari+an+ism
Types of Morphemes Bound Morphemes Morphemes that are never words by themselves but are always parts of words Example -ish, -ness, -ly, -dis, trans, -un -un, -pre, -bi (Prefixes) -ing (Suffix) Free Morphemes Morphemes that constitute words by themselves Example Boy, desire, man, and gentle
Hierarchical Structure of Words Morphological Rules -Rules for combining morphemes to form stems and words. Examples Suffix vs. Affix Creation of new words - Adjective + ify =Verb - Verb + cation = Noun Hierarchical Structure of Words Unsystematic Adjective un Adjective Noun atic System
Funny Morphemes Link to Website with Funny Names (Car Talk) http://www.ethanwiner.com/funnames.html Examples: Copyeditor – Adeline Moore (Add a line more) Accounts Payable – Inneda Czech (I need a check) Pollution Control – Maury Missions (More emissions) Purchasing – Lois Bidder (Lowest bidder) Bart Simpson: Anita Mann (I need a man) Al Cohaulik (Alcoholic) Harry Nes (Hairiness)
How can I teach Morphemes to ESL Students? Prefixes and Suffixes Compound Words & Blends (Group work with newspaper and books) Exceptions to rules (Plural exceptions for child, man, food, and mice.) Morphological Analysis (Reoccurring Forms on pg 106) Acronyms & Abbreviations
Exercise #5 Answers (Page 110) 1 – The morpheme meaning “singular” in Zulu is “um.” 2 – The morpheme meaning “plural” in Zulu is “aba.” 3 – fazi = married woman fani = boy zali = parent fundisi = teacher bazi = carver limi = farmer dlali = player fundi = reader
Additional Sources Morris, Lori. Tremblay, Michel. The Impact of Attending to Unstressed Words on the Acquisition of Written Grammatical Morphology by French-Speaking ESL Students. [JOURNAL ARTICLES. REPORTS - Research/Technical] Canadian Modern Language Review. v58 n3 p364-85 Mar 2002. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology