1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Funny Morphemes Link to Website with Funny Names (Car Talk)
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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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 p Mar 2002.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphology