Derivational Morphology and Word Classes
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Questions and Answers

Derivational morphology is solely focused on changing the grammatical function of a word without creating a new meaning.

False (B)

The basic function of derivational processes is to enable language users to create new lexemes.

True (A)

Closed classes of words are expandable by regular word-formation patterns.

False (B)

Adjectives can be derived from nouns in the process of derivational morphology.

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

Affixes used in derivational morphology can only be prefixes.

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

Lexemes must always belong to the same lexical category as their base forms.

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

Inflectional morphology and derivational morphology are the same processes.

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

Function words, such as determiners and conjunctions, form open lexical classes.

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

The suffix –fy can only derive verbs from adjectival bases.

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

The process of derivation involves creating a new lexeme from an existing one.

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

The prefix de- has a clear-cut meaning of 'remove X from'.

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

The suffix -ate favors the derivation of verbs from only nominal bases.

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

Conversion is the process of changing a word into another word class without adding any affixes.

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

The suffix -ly can derive adverbs from adjectives but cannot derive adjectives from nouns.

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

The suffix -ess can be used to derive nouns from other nouns.

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

Both the suffixes -ism and -ful only derive nouns from adjectives in their specified uses.

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

The suffix -ing can only derive adjectives from verbs.

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

The process of affixation entails adding prefixes and suffixes to create new words, and can affect all parts of speech.

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

The suffix -ness is the least frequently used method for deriving nouns from adjectives.

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

The suffix -ment is used exclusively to form nouns that describe a person's action.

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

The suffix -er is primarily used to create nouns that express the person performing an action.

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

Vowel change is a significant method for deriving nouns in the English language compared to other languages, like Arabic.

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

The suffix -ful is commonly paired with -less in adjectives.

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

The adjective derived from the verb 'sing' is 'sang'.

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

The prefix 'un-' can freely be prefixed to all adjectives without restrictions.

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

Agent nouns can only be formed using the suffix -er.

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

The suffix -ism is used to indicate a property of being a certain quality.

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

Prefixes only appear in the formation of verbs from nouns, never in the reverse process.

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

The suffix -able indicates that something can be acted upon.

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

The process of affixation is the only method used for deriving lexemes in English.

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

The word 'greenish' is an example of an adjective derived from a noun.

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

The suffix -ance is a common suffix for forming nouns from adjectives.

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

The claim that verbs are simply 'doing words' is entirely accurate.

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

Derivational processes can change the word class of the bases they apply to.

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

The adverb 'FAST' is derived from the noun also spelled 'FAST'.

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

All derivatives of nouns must fall under the classification of distinct lexical items.

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

Adverbs such as 'NOWHERE' and 'TODAY' have the suffix -ly.

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

The term 'DIOECIOUS' can be used to derive the adverb 'DIOECIOUSLY'.

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

The suffix -ette is commonly used to denote a larger version of a noun.

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

The word 'CIGARETTE' derives its meaning purely from being a smaller cigar.

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

Lexeme inflectional behavior is the sole factor in determining word class.

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

Affixes that create new noun lexemes typically change the word class of the base noun.

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

Adjectives serve as a common source for deriving nouns.

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

The term 'GUITARIST' is derived from 'GUITAR' and does not change word class.

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

The existence of certain words over others in English can appear arbitrary.

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

Inflectional morphology applies to modify existing words but does not create new lexemes.

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

The grammatical behavior of words is irrelevant to their classification as parts of speech.

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

Flashcards

Derivational Morphology

The process of creating new words with different meanings by adding affixes (prefixes or suffixes). For example, adding the suffix -ful to the word "help" creates the new word "helpful", which has a different meaning.

Lexeme

The basic building blocks of a word that can be combined with affixes to create new words, representing a specific concept.

Open Word Classes

Words that belong to classes such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. They can be added to or created in a language, making the language flexible.

Closed Word Classes

Words that are usually closed and fixed, such as conjunctions, determiners, and prepositions. They don't change much.

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Conversion

The process of creating a new word by changing its grammatical category or part of speech without adding affixes. For example, the verb 'run' can be used as a noun: "I went for a run."

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Prefixes

Affixes that are added to the beginning of a word, changing its meaning. For example, the prefix 'un-' added to 'happy' creates 'unhappy'.

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Suffixes

Affixes that are added to the end of a word, changing its meaning. For example, the suffix '-ing' added to 'run' creates 'running'.

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Inflectional Morphology

The process of changing the grammatical function of a word, usually by adding an affix. For example, adding '-s' to a noun creates the plural form, or adding '-ed' to a verb creates the past tense form.

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Word Class

A word class that includes words like 'perform' and 'performance'. These words have different inflections and occur in different syntactic contexts, indicating their distinct roles in grammar.

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Word Class Based on Meaning

The assumption that lexemes belong to a specific word class based solely on their meaning is incorrect. Grammar and function play the crucial role in determining a word's class.

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Inflection

A process that changes the form of a word to indicate grammatical information, such as tense, number, or case. This does not change the word's class.

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Derivation

A process that creates a new word from an existing one by adding an affix. This process can change the word's class.

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Distinct Lexemes

Words that are derived from other words and have a similar meaning but belong to a different word class. Examples include 'DIOECIOUS' (adjective) and 'DIOECIOUSLY' (adverb).

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Adverbs Derived from Adjectives

The process of adding '-ly' to adjectives to create adverbs.

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Simple Adverbs

Adverbs that do not end in '-ly' and are not derived from other words. Examples include 'often', 'always', and 'never'.

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Nouns Derived from Nouns

Nouns that are derived from other nouns by adding affixes. These affixes can indicate gender, state of being, size, or origin.

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Nouns with '-ess' and '-ine'

Suffixes that change the meaning of a noun to indicate a female counterpart.

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Nouns with '-ship' and '-hood'

Suffixes that change the meaning of a noun to indicate a state of being.

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Nouns with '-let', '-ette', '-ie'

Suffixes that change the meaning of a noun to indicate a smaller version.

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Nouns with '-er', -(i)an'

Suffixes that change the meaning of a noun indicating someone belonging to a specific country or group.

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Nouns with '-ist', '-ian'

Suffixes that change the meaning of a noun indicating someone who is a devotee or expert in a particular field.

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Nouns Derived from Other Words Classes

The process of forming nouns from adjectives and verbs. This is a very common derivational process in English.

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Verb Derivation from Nouns and Adjectives

Creating a new verb from a noun or adjective by adding a prefix or suffix.

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Meaning of 'de-' in Verb Derivation

The meaning of 'de-' in verbs derived from nouns (like 'debug', 'deforest') is to 'remove X from'.

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Suffixes '-ise' and '-ify' in Verb Derivation

Suffixes like '-ise' and '-ify' primarily function to create verbs, without a clear meaning connected to the root word. Example: 'organise' doesn't share the same meaning as 'organ'.

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Verb Derivation from Adjectives: '-ise' and '-ify'

Suffixes like '-ise' and '-ify' can be used to create verbs from adjectives, like 'nationalise', 'intensify', 'purify'.

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Ambiguity of Suffix '-ate' in Verb Derivation

The suffix '-ate' also often creates verbs, but its meaning isn't clear because many of the roots it is attached to are bound (can't stand alone).

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Adverb Derivation from Adjectives: '-ly'

Adding '-ly' to adjectives creates adverbs. Example: 'quick' becomes 'quickly'.

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Noun Derivation from Nouns: Suffixes

Nouns can be derived from nouns by adding suffixes like '-ine', '-ess', '-ship', '-hood', '-let', '-ette', '-ie', '-er', '-(i)an', '-ist', and '-ian'.

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Verb Derivation from Verbs: Prefixes

Verbs can be derived from verbs by adding prefixes like 'un-', 'de-', 'dis-', and 're-'.

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Verb Derivation from Nouns: Suffixes

Verbs can be derived from nouns by adding suffixes like 'de-', '-ise', and '-fy'.

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Verb Derivation from Adjectives: Suffixes

Verbs can be derived from adjectives by adding suffixes like '-ise' and '-ify'.

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Nouns with -ness suffix

Nouns formed by adding -ness to an adjective, often not found in dictionaries, e.g. 'happiness'.

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Nouns from verbs: -ance, -ence, -ment, etc.

Nouns derived from verbs, indicating the 'action or consequence' of the verb (e.g. 'performance' from 'perform').

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Agent nouns with -er suffix

A noun form denoting the person who performs the action of the verb, usually formed by adding -er (e.g. 'painter').

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Stress shift for noun derivation

Creating new words by shifting the stress in a word (e.g. 'CONduct' noun vs. 'conDUCT' verb).

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Consonant change for noun derivation

Deriving nouns by changing the last consonant of a verb (e.g. 'DEFEND' verb to 'DEFENCE' noun).

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Vowel change for noun derivation

Deriving nouns by altering the vowel sound of a verb (e.g. 'SING' verb to 'SONG' noun).

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Adjectives with -ish suffix

Adding -ish suffix to an adjective to imply 'somewhat' (e.g. 'greenish' = slightly green).

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Prefix un- for negative adjectives

Prefix un-, meaning 'not', commonly used to create negative adjectives, e.g. 'unhappy'.

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Negative adjective prefix: in- and its forms

Negative adjective prefix with variant forms: il-, im-, ir-, and in-. (e.g. 'illegal', 'impossible', 'irresponsible', 'intangible').

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Adjectives from verbs

Adjectives derived from verbs, often ending in -ing, -ed, -en, or showing vowel change (e.g. 'interesting', 'drunk', 'boiled').

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Adjectives from nouns: -ful, -less, -al, -ish

Suffixes used to create adjectives from nouns, often showing a quality or relation (e.g. 'beautiful', 'helpless', 'national').

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Prefix re- for repeated action

Prefix re-, indicating repeated action, applied to verbs (e.g. 'rewatch', 'rethink').

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Negative/reversative prefixes for verbs: un-, de-, dis-

Negative or reversive prefixes used with verbs (e.g. 'untie', 'decompose', 'dismiss').

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Study Notes

Derivational Morphology

  • Derivational morphology is the process of creating new words (lexemes) with new meanings, often changing the part of speech, unlike inflectional morphology, which changes the grammatical function of a word.
  • The primary function of derivational processes is to create new lexemes from existing ones (bases).
  • Lexemes belong to lexical categories (parts of speech) such as nouns (N), verbs (V), and adjectives (A). Derived lexemes can be different categories than their bases.

Word Classes and Conversion

  • Words are categorized as open (nouns, adjectives, verbs) or closed (function words).
  • Word classes are also referred to as parts of speech or lexical categories.
  • Word class is determined by grammatical behavior, not solely by meaning. Example: "perform" (verb) and "performance" (noun) despite both relating to the same activity.
  • Inflectional behavior (how a word changes according to grammatical context) differs between words in the same semantic field.

Affixes in Derivational Morphology

  • Derivational morphology often involves affixes (prefixes or suffixes) to modify the form and create new lexical items.
  • Affixes frequently change the word class of a base word, but not always.

Adverbs Derived from Adjectives

  • Adverbs can be derived from adjectives by adding the suffix "-ly".
  • Not all adverbs end in "-ly," there are also simple, monomorphemic adverbs (e.g., "often", "never").
  • Some adverbs are formed through conversion from adjectives (e.g., "fast", "hard").

Nouns Derived from Nouns

  • Nouns can be derived from other nouns by using various suffixes (e.g. –ess).
  • Using suffixes to derive nouns from other nouns in the same word class create new lexemes, but the word classes remain the same.

Nouns Derived from Other Word Classes (e.g. Adjectives, Verbs)

  • Typical suffixes used to derive nouns from adjectives include "-ity," "-ness," and "-ism" which often indicate 'property of being.'
  • Numerous suffixes exist for deriving nouns from verbs; examples include "-ance/ence," "-ment," "-ing," "-((a)tion)," "-al," and "-er."
  • "-er" suffixes are often agent nouns, which describe a person performing an action.

Adjectives Derived from Adjectives

  • Prefixes ("un-", "in-") are more common than suffixes in creating new adjectives from other adjectives .
  • The prefix "un-" creates negations (e.g., "unhappy").
  • The prefix "in-" has various allomorphs (e.g., "illegal", "impossible", "irresponsible").

Adjectives Derived from Other Word Classes (e.g., Verbs, Nouns)

  • Suffixes such as "-ing," "-ed," "-en," and vowel changes create adjectives from verbs.
  • Suffixes like "-able," "-ent/ant," and "-ive" are used to derive adjectives from verbs.
  • Suffixes such as "-ful," "-less," "-al" and "-ish" are used to produce adjectives from other nouns.

Verbs Derived from Verbs

  • Verbs are often derived from other verbs using only prefixes, not suffixes.
  • Common prefixes include "re-" (for repetition), and negative prefixes ("un-", "de-", "dis-").

Verbs Derived from Other Word Classes (e.g. Nouns, Adjectives)

  • Affixes like "de-," "-ise," and "-fy" derive verbs from nouns and adjectives.

Other Derivational Methods

  • There are non-affixal methods of derivation, including stress shifts and vowel/consonant changes.
  • The examples are important, but not the central focus.

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This quiz explores the concepts of derivational morphology and word classes. You will learn how new words are created from existing ones and how words are categorized into different parts of speech. Test your understanding of lexical categories and their grammatical behaviors.

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