Derivational Morphology and Word Classes
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Questions and Answers

Derivational morphology creates new lexemes primarily with the use of inflectional affixes.

False (B)

Lexical categories such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives are considered open classes in most languages.

True (A)

Derivational processes can change a base word into a lexeme of the same lexical category.

True (A)

The word 'helpful' is an example of an inflectional transformation of the base word 'help'.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Closed classes of words include content words such as nouns and verbs.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Conversion refers to the process where an adjective can become a noun without any change in form.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Affixes in derivational morphology can only be prefixes.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The process of word formation in languages is static and unchanging.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ise has a clear-cut meaning apart from its function as a verb-forming tool.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adjectives can be derived from other adjectives by adding the suffix -ing.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Nouns can be derived from verbs using affixes such as -ance and -ment.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The prefix 'de-' implies the action of adding to the base word.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ify can create verbs from both nouns and adjectives.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The verb 'organise' shares an obvious element of meaning with the noun 'organ.'

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Conversions involve changing a word's class without altering its form.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Nouns can only be derived from adjectives, not from other nouns.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ful can be used to derive nouns from nouns.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ly derives adverbs exclusively from nouns.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term DIOECIOUS refers to plants that have both male and female flowers on the same plant.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

LEXICAL items can consist of individual lexemes that are interchangeable in grammatical roles.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adverbs are exclusively formed by adding the suffix -ly to adjectives.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The lexeme PERFORMANCE is a verb while PERFORM is a noun.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Inflectional behavior of lexemes can differ significantly within the same word class.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All words formed with the suffix -ess denote female counterparts of nouns.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Lexeme refers to a unique version of a word that can have multiple grammatical forms.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Compounded words like 'CIGARETTE' and 'BOOKLET' indicate that their meanings are directly tied to their components.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term 'gappiness' refers to the existence of many lexemes with overlapping meanings.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Derived nouns like GUITARIST from GUITAR showcase derivational morphology that changes word classes.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term 'lexeme' can be illustrated through words like HARD and FAST in different grammatical contexts.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Morphologically complicated adverbs always have the suffix -ly.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The creation of new lexemes always modifies their grammatical class.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Words like 'WAITRESS' and 'HEROINE' reflect a clear suffix illustrating the female form of the root noun.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix –ness can only be applied to a limited number of adjectives.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -er is exclusively used to denote the person performing an action.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Non-affixal methods of deriving abstract nouns play a significant role in English morphology.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix –ish indicates a complete transformation from one state to another.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All words prefixed with un- are included in the dictionary.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adjectives like 'interesting' and 'boiled' in certain contexts can originate from verbs.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -able signifies an action that cannot be performed.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Prefixes are the dominant method used to derive adjectives from other adjectives.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ful is typically paired with its negative counterpart -less.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The use of prefixes is the sole method for creating verbs from existing verbs.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All adjectives derived from nouns end with the suffix -al.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ment is commonly used to form nouns that express consequences of actions.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The derivational use of vowel change in English morphology is highly significant.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All verbs derived from verbs always signify a repetitive action.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Words created with the prefix re- are always polymorphemic.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix -ism typically denotes a belief system or ideological concept.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Derivational Morphology

The process of creating new words by adding affixes (prefixes or suffixes) to existing words, changing the word's meaning and often its lexical class.

Lexeme

A unit of meaning that stands alone as a word and can be used in a sentence, represented by a base form like 'help'.

Inflectional Morphology

The process of adding affixes to a word to modify its meaning or grammatical function without changing its core meaning.

Open Word Classes

Words that can be extended by adding affixes, including nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

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Closed Word Classes

Words that are limited in number and cannot be easily extended by adding affixes, including determiners, conjunctions, pronouns, and prepositions.

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Conversion

The process of creating a new word by changing the lexical category of an existing word without adding any affixes. For example, 'run' (verb) becoming 'a run' (noun).

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Base Word

The part of a word that remains after removing any affixes, providing the core meaning of the word.

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Affixes in Derivational Morphology

Prefixes or suffixes that are added to a base word to create a new word with a different meaning or lexical category

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Derivation

The process of forming new words by adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words, changing the word's meaning and often its grammatical category.

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Prefix 'de-'

A prefix that means 'remove' or 'reverse' when attached to verbs. It is used to create words with opposite meanings.

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Suffix '-ise'

A suffix used to form verbs from nouns or adjectives. It often means 'to make' or 'to treat as'.

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Suffix '-ify'

A suffix used to form verbs from nouns or adjectives, often meaning 'to make' or 'to become'.

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Suffix '-ate'

A suffix that can be used to derive verbs from nouns, adjectives, or, rarely, other verbs. It can indicate an action or process related to the base word.

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Deriving Nouns from Nouns

The process of creating new nouns by adding a suffix to another noun, often signifying a related concept or quality.

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Deriving Adjectives from Nouns

The process of creating new adjectives by adding a suffix to an existing noun, often signifying a characteristic or quality associated with that noun.

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Deriving Verbs from Nouns

The process of creating new verbs from existing nouns,often signifying an action related to the noun.

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Deriving Verbs from Adjectives

The process of creating new verbs from adjectives, often signifying the action of making something have that quality.

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The -ity Suffix

A suffix that means 'property of being X,' where X is the base adjective. It transforms adjectives into nouns. e.g., purity, equality, ferocity.

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The -ness Suffix

A suffix that means 'property of being X,' where X is the base adjective. It transforms adjectives into nouns. It is the most widely applicable suffix for this purpose. e.g., happiness, fierceness, sensitiveness

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The -ism Suffix

A suffix that means 'property of being X,' where X is the base adjective. It transforms adjectives into nouns. e.g., conservatism, radicalism.

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The -ance/-ence Suffixes

A suffix that forms nouns from verbs, denoting 'action or consequence of Xing,' forming abstract nouns. e.g., performance, ignorance, reference, convergence.

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The -ment Suffix

A suffix that forms nouns from verbs, denoting 'action or consequence of Xing,' forming abstract nouns. e.g., announcement, commitment, development, engagement.

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The -ing Suffix

A suffix that forms nouns from verbs, denoting 'action or consequence of Xing,' forming abstract nouns. e.g., painting, singing, building, ignoring.

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The -((a)t)ion Suffix

A suffix that forms nouns from verbs, denoting 'action or consequence of Xing,' forming abstract nouns. e.g., denunciation, commission, organisation, confusion.

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The -al Suffix

A suffix that forms nouns from verbs, denoting 'action or consequence of Xing,' forming abstract nouns. e.g., refusal, arrival, referral, committal.

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The -er Suffix

A suffix that primarily forms nouns expressing a person who does the action denoted by the accompanying verb (agent nouns). e.g., painter, singer, organiser, grinder.

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The -ish Suffix

A suffix that means 'somewhat X,' where X is the base adjective. It forms adjectives from other adjectives. e.g., greenish, yellowish, smallish.

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The un- Prefix

A prefix that means 'not.' It negates the meaning of the base adjective. e.g., ungood (bad), unjust, unable, unhappy.

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The in- Prefix

A negative prefix with allomorphs il-, im-, ir-, and in-. It negates the meaning of the base adjective. e.g., illegal, impossible, irresponsible, intangible.

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The re- Prefix

A prefix that means 'repeated action.' Attaching it to a verb indicates the action is done again. e.g., rewatch, rewash

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The un-, de-, and dis- Prefixes

Prefixes used to negate or reverse the action of the base verb. e.g., untie, untangle; denominalize, decompose; dismiss, discharge

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Verb Derivation from Verbs

The process of forming verbs from other verbs, primarily using prefixes. There is no suffix used in this process.

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What is a word class?

A word class is a group of words that share similar grammatical properties and functions in a language.

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What are other names for word classes?

Word classes are often referred to as parts of speech in traditional grammar and lexical categories in modern linguistics.

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Is a word's meaning the main factor in determining its word class?

The assumption that a word's class is primarily determined by its meaning is incorrect. For instance, "perform" and "performance" both refer to the same activity but belong to different word classes due to their grammatical behavior.

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What determines a word's class?

Word classes are determined by the grammatical behavior of words, including how they are inflected (changed) and how they function in sentences.

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How are some adverbs derived?

Some adverbs are derived from adjectives by adding the suffix -ly. Examples include "quickly" from "quick" and "slowly" from "slow."

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Do all adverbs end in -ly?

Not all adverbs end in -ly. Some are simple (e.g., "often," "always") while others are morphologically complex but lack the -ly suffix (e.g., "nowhere," "everywhere").

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What is conversion in linguistics?

Conversion is the process of creating a new word class from an existing one without any change in form. For example, "fast" (adjective) can be used as an adverb (e.g., "The car drove fast").

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What is derivational morphology?

Derivational morphology involves adding affixes (prefixes or suffixes) to create new words or change their word class.

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Can derivational morphology change a word's class?

Derivational morphology can change the word class of a base word. For example, adding -ly to an adjective forms an adverb.

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What is the function of the suffix -ess?

The process of adding the suffix -ess to a noun often indicates a female version of the noun. For example, "actress" refers to a female actor.

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What do suffixes like -ship, -hood, -let, -ette indicate?

Suffixes like -ship, -hood, -let, -ette indicate states of being, size, or specific categories. Examples include "friendship," "brotherhood," "piglet," and "cigarette."

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What does the suffix -er often indicate?

The suffix -er often indicates a person associated with a particular activity or profession. Examples include "guitarist" and "librarian."

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How can nouns be derived from other word classes?

Nouns can be derived from adjectives and verbs. For example, "happiness" is derived from the adjective "happy" and "arrival" is derived from the verb "arrive."

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Does derivational morphology always change the word class?

Derivational morphology doesn't always create a new word class. Some suffixes like -ist or -ian create new nouns within the same class (e.g., guitarist, Marxist).

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Is the creation of derived words always logical?

The existence of some derived words, like 'actress,' is arbitrary, meaning there is no logical reason why one exists while others don't (e.g., 'writress').

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Study Notes

Derivational Morphology

  • Derivational morphology creates new lexemes (words) with new meanings, distinct from inflectional morphology, which modifies existing word forms for grammatical purposes.
  • Derivational processes allow language users to create new words.
  • Lexemes belong to lexical categories (e.g., noun, verb, adjective). Derived lexemes may belong to different categories than their base lexemes.

Word Classes and Conversion

  • Words are categorized into open (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and closed classes (function words).
  • Word classes are distinct from semantic meaning. Grammatical behavior (inflectional patterns, syntactic roles) are more reliable indicators of word class.
  • The word class of a lexeme is not determined solely by its meaning.

Adverbs Derived from Adjectives

  • Some adverbs are derived from adjectives by adding the suffix "-ly."
  • Not all adverbs use the "-ly" suffix (e.g., NOWHERE, ALWAYS, TODAY).
  • The adverb form shares a relationship with the adjective despite not having the same suffix.

Nouns Derived from Nouns

  • Derivational morphology can modify an existing noun into a new noun, changing the word.
  • Several suffixes create nouns from nouns (e.g., -ess, -ine, -ship, -hood, -let, -ette, -ie). These denote relationships such as gender, state of being, or size.
  • Examples of such suffixes include:
    • –ess, –ine: female X (e.g., waitress, heroine).
    • –ship, –hood: state of being X (e.g., friendship, brotherhood).
    • –let, –ette, –ie: small X (e.g., piglet, cigarette, kittie).
    • -er, -(i)an: state of being X, (e.g., New Zealander, Canadian).
    • -ist, -ian: devotee of or expert on X(e.g., guitarist, Marxist, librarian)

Nouns Derived from Other Word Classes

  • Nouns can be created from adjectives and verbs.
  • Suffixes are used to create nouns from adjectives (e.g., -ity, -ness, -ism). That is, they denote a property or state of being X.
  • Numerous suffixes exist for generating nouns from verbs (e.g., -ance, -ence, -ment, -ing, -ation, -al, -er). They frequently denote actions, consequences, or the agent performing the action.

Adjectives Derived from Adjectives

  • Primarily prefixes are used to create new adjective lexemes from existing adjectives.
  • Common prefixes include un-(not) and in-/il-/im-/ir- (negative connotations), and -ish (somewhat).

Adjectives Derived from Other Word Classes

  • Adjectives can be derived from verbs, primarily through suffixes (e.g., -ing, -ed, -en).
  • Other suffixes used for deriving adjectives from verbs include -able, for example "breakable" and -ent/-ant, for example "expectant" as well as -ive for "attractive".

Nouns Derived from Adjectives

  • Numerous suffixes can be applied to create adjectives from nouns.
  • Common examples are –ful, –less, –al, and –ish.
  • Adjectives ending in -ful and -less tend to appear in pairs, despite occasional exceptions.

Verbs Derived from Verbs

  • Verbs can be created from other verbs with prefixes (e.g., re-, un-, de-, dis-). Prefixes indicate repetition or reversal of actions.

Verbs Derived from Other Word Classes

  • Verbs can be derived from nouns and adjectives through prefixes and suffixes (e.g., de-, -ise, -ify).
  • These derivations are not necessarily obvious in terms of semantic relationships.

Summary

  • Derivation and conversion are different processes in changing word classes.
  • Conversion is a process to change a word class without changing the word itself.
  • Affixes can modify word classes and meanings.
  • Many derivational suffixes have multiple meanings depending on the base word.

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Explore the fascinating world of derivational morphology and word classes in this quiz. Learn how new lexemes are created and understand the distinctions between open and closed classes. Test your knowledge on adverbs derived from adjectives and their unique properties.

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