Morphology An Introduction to the Structure of Words

1. MorphologyAn Introduction tothe Structure of Words By Christian Monson

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

3. What is a Word? • There are no spaces in spoken language Hewenttotownonhishorse • Hew entt otow non hi shor se • He went to town on his horse

4. Example of Words (Hungarian) a) Jánosénekel John sings • Máriaénekel Mary sings • Máriafut Mary runs

5. Example of Words (Hungarian) a) Jánosénekel John sings b) Máriaénekel Mary sings c) Máriafut Maryruns

6. 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

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

8. Example of Morphemes (Hungarian again) keresek Iseek keresel you seek keres he/she/it seeks hiszek I believe hiszel you believe hisz he/she/it believes

9. Example of Morphemes (Hungarian again) keresekIseek kereselyouseek keresØhe/she/itseeks hiszekIbelieve hiszelyoubelieve hiszØhe/she/itbelieves

10. Allomorphs • Same meaning • Different form • Complementary distribution

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

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

13. 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

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

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

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

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

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

19. Complementary Distribution

20. Complementary Distribution All Sounds (consonants + vowels)

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

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

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

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

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

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

27. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

28. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

29. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

30. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

31. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

32. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg

33. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels

34. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels Front Vowels

35. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

36. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

37. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

38. Allomorphy Example:Hungarian Present Tense 1sg All Vowels Front Vowels Front Rounded Vowels

39. Features • Nouns

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

41. Features • Verbs

42. 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), …

43. Other Parts of Speech • Adjectives • Adverbs • Determiners and Specifiers

44. 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