MORPHOLOGY Word Classes and Affixes Deny A Kwary

MORPHOLOGY “Word Classes and Affixes” Deny A. Kwary www. kwary. net

Main Divisions of Word Classes (Parts of Speech): • Content Words • • Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs • Function Words • • Conjunctions Prepositions Articles Pronouns

Exercise: Determine the word class of each of the following words a. b. c. d. e. canine the him elegant inconvenienc e f. eloquently g. comply h. inasmuch as a. Noun b. Article i. over c. d. e. f. g. h. Pronoun Adjective Noun Adverb Verb Conjunctio n Preposition

Morpheme: The minimal unit of meaning Free morpheme: a single morpheme that constitutes a word and can stand alone. Bound morpheme: a morpheme that must be attached to another morpheme.

Question #2 a, b, i, j, k, l, m Example: • Retroactive = retro + act + ive Free morpheme = act Bound morphemes = retro-, -ive

English Affixes (based on the position) Prefix: An affix that occurs before a morpheme Suffix: An affix that occurs after a morpheme

English Prefixes Examples of Negative Prefixes: unnondisa. Examples of size and degree prefixes: mini- suboversuper-

English Suffixes Class preserving suffixation: -er lecturer -ian librarian -ist scientist -let piglet Class changing suffixation: Verb Noun performance Adjective Adverb nicely Adjective Noun active activity

Affixes (based on the function) Inflections vs. Derivations

Definition • Derivational morpheme: deriving (creating) a new word with a new meaning. • Inflectional morpheme: changing the form of a word because of the rules of syntax.

English Inflectional Morphemes Nouns –s –’s Verbs –s –ed –en –ing Adjectives –er –est plural possessive third person singular present past tense past participle progressive comparative superlative

Some examples of English Derivational Morpheme • • • -ic -ance -ly -ity -able : Noun Adj : Verb Noun : Adj Adv : Adj Noun : Verb Adj ; alcoholic ; clearance ; exactly ; active activity ; readable • -ship : Noun ; friendship • re- : Verb ; cover recover • in- : Adj ; definite indefinite

Describe the italic affixes: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) impossible terrorized terrorize desks dislike humanity fastest 1) Derivational prefix 2) Inflectional suffix 3) Derivational suffix 4) Inflectional suffix 5) Derivational prefix 6) Derivational suffix 7) Inflectional suffix

Describe the italic affixes: 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) premature untie darken fallen oxen faster lecturer 8) Derivational prefix 9) Derivational prefix 10) Derivational suffix 11) Inflectional suffix 12) Inflectional suffix 13) Inflectional suffix 14) Derivational

That’s All For Today See You Next Week Deny A. Kwary www. kwary. net