Définition Flashcards
Morpheme
The smallest meaningful unit in a language (cannot divide the morpheme into smaller units without loss of its identity)
Base form
Refers to any part of a word regarded as a unit to which an operation be applied
Distinguish btw free and bound morpheme
Free morpheme = Can stand by themselves as single words (and, yes, you, the)
Bound morphemes= cannot stand alone as single words (-able, -ism, -ly)
All affixes in english are bound morphemes
What are the 8 inflectional suffixes ?
- ’s, ‘
- -(e)s
- -(e)s
- -ing
- -ed
- -en (past participle form / plural form)
- -er
- -est
Zero morph
A morphem that consists of no phonetic form (no prononciation) (ex: plural form= singular form)
Lexeme
Used to refer to an abstract unit of lexical item in order to reduce the ambiguity if the term word (written in capital letters)
Simplex word
Lexical item that has no affixes + no part of compound
Complex word
Lexical item that has only one base form and one or several affixes
Coinage
Invention of totally new terms (ex: kleenex, Google, aspirin)
Borrowing
Taking over words from other languages/dialects (ex: piano(it) yogurt(turkish) alcohol (arabic))
Loan translation - calque
Is a special type of borrowing, Direct translation of the elements of a word into the borrowing language (skyscraper gratte-ciel)
Acronym
Words formed from the initial letters of a set of other words ( form of alphabetism (CD)letter by letter, pronouced as single words (RADAR, UNESCO, NASA)
Clipping
Word of more than one syllable is shortened (weblog= blog, thomas=Tom, matbematics=maths)
Blending
Combining parts of 2 words to produce a single new word (breakfast+lunch =brunch)
Derivation
Adding prefixes/ derivational suffixes to other words or morphemes (dis.respect.ful = prefix.base.derivational suffix)
Suppletion
The use of an unrelated form with different root, to complete paradigm (best is the suppletive comparative of good )
Back formation
A new word is made by the removal of an affix (majority are verbs, option= to opt
Conversion
A word is converted to a new grammatical function without the addition of an suffix (verbs to nouns to love= love; adj to nouns daily = daily; nouns to verbs paper= to paper ; adj to verbs empty = to empty )
Compounding
Combination of 2 or + words that function as a single word (flower pot)
Vernacular compounds
Made of 2 free bases (may have affixes) = baby-sitter
Neo classical compounds
Contain 1 or 2 combing forms of greek/latin
Claustrophobia claustro phobia
Right-headed compounds
The right hand element IS the semantic head if the compound ( fishing net)
Headless compounds
No head ( pickpocket)
Distinguish btw derivational and inflectional mophemes
Derivational morphemes = used to make new words in the language (-age,-dom,-ly,-ful)
Prefixation is ALWAYS derivational
Inflectional morphemes= are not used to to produce New words in english, added to certain words to determine and limit their grammatical significance (plural/singular, adj, comparative, superlative, past simple)
Derivational morphemes
Derivational morphemes = used to make new words in the language (-age,-dom,-ly,-ful)
May change the grammatical class (cover(v) +age =coverage(n)) or may not change the grammatical class ( king(n) + -dom =kingdom (n)
Inflectional morphemes
Inflectional morphemes= are not used to to produce New words in english, added to certain words to determine and limit their grammatical significance (plural/singular, adj, comparative, superlative, past simple
Class- changing
-age,-er,-ese,-ial,-ish,-ly, -ful, -ment, -ness, -able
Class maintaining
-dom, -hood, -ship,re-, co-, un-, ex-
