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Morphemes

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in language. There are two types of morphemes: free morphemes and bound morphemes. Free morphemes can stand alone as words, like "cat" or "sink". Bound morphemes must be attached to other morphemes and cannot stand alone, such as the prefixes "un-" and "re-" or the suffixes "-ly" and "-ness". The document provides examples of different types of morphemes and discusses their characteristics.

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457 views

Morphemes

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in language. There are two types of morphemes: free morphemes and bound morphemes. Free morphemes can stand alone as words, like "cat" or "sink". Bound morphemes must be attached to other morphemes and cannot stand alone, such as the prefixes "un-" and "re-" or the suffixes "-ly" and "-ness". The document provides examples of different types of morphemes and discusses their characteristics.

Uploaded by

nasyratul
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MORPHEMES

By :
Nasyratul Fathiah bt Mohd Farid
PISMP Science, Sem 5,2010
IPG KDRI, Kuala Terengganu
WHAT IS MORPHEMES?

• The term comes from the Greek


word morph, meaning shape or form.
• The smallest unit of meaning.
•  It is concerned with the structure of
words.
•  Morphemes can be classified as either
free or bound.
•

TYPES OF MORPHEMES
 affix: a morpheme that comes at the beginning
(prefix) or the ending (suffix) of a base
morpheme.  Note: An affix usually is a morpheme
that cannot stand alone.  Examples: -ful, -ly, -
ity, -ness. A few exceptions are able, like,
and less.
 base: a morpheme that gives a word its meaning.  The
base morpheme cat gives the word cats its meaning:
a particular type of animal.
 prefix: an affix that comes before a base morpheme. 
The in in the word inspect is a prefix.
•
FREE MORPHEMES

 A free morpheme is a unit of meaning which


can stand alone or alongside another free
or bound morpheme.
 Free morphemes are units of meaning which
cannot be split into anything smaller.
 Can stand alone as words of a language.
 Most root words in English is free
morphemes.

 These are usually individual words, such
as:
 - lid
 - sink
 - air
 - car
 - cat


 However, the terms 'gate', 'butter' and
'flower' can also exist alongside
another free morpheme. The following
examples comprise two free morphemes
 - gate + post 
 - butter + milk
 - sun + flower
BOUND MORPHEMES

 Bound morphemes  are also units of


meaning which cannot be split into
anything smaller.
 They are different from free morphemes
because they cannot exist alone.
 They must be bound to one or more free
morphemes.
 Almost all prefixes and suffixes are
bound morphemes.
BOUND MORPHEMES
Prefixes asymmetrical, subordinate,    
 unnecessary
Suffixes cowardice, fruitful, 
swimming
References
• Bauer, Mary Beth, et al., Grammar and Composition.  New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
Inc., 
    1982.
• Fromkin, Victoria, and Robert Rodman.  An Introduction to Language.  5th ed. 
    Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Joanovich College Publishers, 1993.
• Hacker, Diana.  The Bedford Handbook for Writers.  3rd ed.  Boston: Bedford 
    Books of St. Martin's Press, 1991.
• Kolln, Martha, and Robert Funk.  Understanding English Grammar.  5th ed. 
    Boston:  Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
• http://www.buzzin.net/english/morphol.htm
• http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/freemorphterm.htm
• http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/boundmorphterm.htm
• http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~deguchm/j417/1014.pdf
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bound_morpheme
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpheme
• http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/~kdk/201/autumn01/slides/morphology-4up.pdf
• http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/caneng/morpheme.htm

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