Linguistic Morphology: Key Concepts and Word Formation

Linguistic Morphology: Key Concepts

1. The linguistic sign unites the concept and the signified. True

2. Bound bases can be the core part of a word. False

3. Pronouns are function words. True

4. The word ‘fast’ can be an adjective and a preposition, depending on the context. True

5. We can add inflectional affixes to stems. True

6. There are some compounds to which we can add the suffix -s to the first or to the second element for pluralizing them. True

7. A stem is always a root. ______?

8. The primary function of transpositional affixes is to add extra meaning to their bases. False

9. The only way by which a language increases its vocabulary is by creating new words from already existing words. ________True

10. In the English language, the most productive process for creating words is Compounding. _____True

Isolating: D-F-E

Agglutinating: B-C

Inflectional: G-A

  1. Latin belongs to this kind of morphology. Inflectional
  2. Words can have several suffixes and prefixes. Agglutinating
  3. Turkish belongs to this kind of morphology. Agglutinating
  4. Chinese belongs to this kind of morphology. Isolating
  5. It lacks derivational and inflectional morphology.
  6. One word is equal to one morpheme. Isolating
  7. Russian belongs to this kind of morphology. Inflectional
  1. Free morphemes
  1. Bound morphemes
  1. They may stand alone. Free
  2. They need to be attached to other morphemes. Bound
  3. They may be affixes or bound roots. Bound
  4. They are roots. Free

2. The word reflections is a ______________ word.

A. simple B. compound C. monomorphemic D. complex

3. The compound teacher-student is a _______________ compound.

A. coordinate endocentric B. coordinate exocentric C. subordinate exocentric D. synthetic

4. The word smog entered into the English language as a/an ____________ word.

A. blended B. borrowed C. blended D. invented

5. A root cannot be _________________.

A. stem B. base C. the core part of a word D. dependent

6. The creation of the word US reflagging does not involve _________________.

A. Initialism B. Affixation C. Compounding D. Coinage

7. The creation of the word Vox Pop does not involve ___________________.

A. Borrowing B. Affixation C. Clipping D. Compounding

8. The word formation process that creates the word flexilink is known as _________________.

A. Affixation B. Compounding C. Coinage D. Blending

9. The kind of semantic shift that has suffered the word sick along time is known as ____________.

A. Amelioration B. Broadening C. Pejoration D. Weakening

10. The kind of semantic shift that has suffered the word deer along time is known as ____________.

A. Amelioration B. Broadening C. Narrowing D. Weakening

Examples of Word Formation Processes

Show-offs: To behave in a way that is intended to attract attention or admiration, and that other people often find annoying. Example: He’s always showing off to his classmates.

So-and-sos: An unnamed or unspecified person, thing, or action. Ex: Mr. Baker was such a so-and-so – he was always really mean!

Reduplication: Ha-ha. This process consists of repeating a complete word or parts of it.

Compounding: NOTEBOOK. Process of putting words together to build a new one that ”does not denote two things, but one” and that is ”pronounced as one unit.”

Back formation: editor = edit. Reduction of nouns to form verbs.

Clipping: Gasoline = GAS. Shortening of a poly-syllabic word.

Coinage: GOOGLE. The word formation process of inventing entirely new words.

Semantic shift: MOUSE. Tracking the changing meaning of words through time.

Word Formation Processes: Examples

Column A Column B

RAM (random access memory): acronym

xerox (Xeroxography): clipping

telathon (television + maratón): blending

elect (Election): back formation

scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus): acronym

Isleta Morphemes and Translations

I. List the Isleta morphemes corresponding to the following English translations:

I: te you: a come: wan present progressive (is … -ing): we

(e) past: ban

III. Translate each of the following sentences into Isleta:

(a) He came: miwanban

(b) I will go: temihi

(c) You were coming: awanaj

Pronouns, Verbs, and Tenses

I: ni See: ona Present: na

Him: m Carry: chukua Past: li

Sentences:

I have helped you: nimekusaidia

He will cure them: atawapanya