Morphology and Syntax

Morphology and Syntax Morphology 3 Trương Văn Ánh Trường Đại học Sài Gòn Chapter 3 WORDS A word is the smallest segment of speech that can be used alone, and at which pausing is possible Ex They call[.]

Morphology 3

Trương Văn Ánh

Trường Đại học Sài Gòn

Chapter 3

WORDS

A word is the smallest segment of speech that can

be used alone, and at which pausing is possible Ex: They call up their roommates.

(they, call up, their, roommates are four words, and no pauses are possible between the two elements of each word).

There are three main classes of words: simple words, complex (or derived) words, and compound words.

Notes: derived = derivational

1 Simple words are composed of a single free

morpheme Ex: high, table, Argentina

2 Complex (or derived) words include either two

bound morphemes, or a bound and a free form

Ex: Two bound forms: televise, sentiment, consent

A bound and a free form: telephone, telekiss, happiness, dishonest, nonsense

3 Compound words have two or more free

morphemes

Ex: Sweetheart, time-table, forget-me-not

Notes: Compound words must have figurative meaning (>< literal meaning)

Sometimes, it is difficult to decide if the word is

a compound word or a group of words (grammatical structure)

There are three ways to see the difference

3.a Structural integrity:

We cannot add any word to the middle of two morphemes of compound words

Ex: It is a greenhouse (compound word)

It is a green wooden house (a group of words = grammatical structure)

3.b Semantic criterion:

The meaning of a compound word is idiomatic, not the sum of the meaning of the words

(grammatical structure)

Ex: He has an iron heart (He is not kind)

He has a heavy iron heart (He has a heart-shaped thing which is heavy)

3.c Phonetic criterion:

Most compound words have the main stress over the first word A group of words (grammatical structure) has the main stress over the second word

Ex: A swímming teàcher (a compound word)

A swìmming teácher (a group of words) Notes: ‘ main stress

` secondary stress

Abbreviation:

S simple word

Cx Complex word

Cd Compound word

Gs Grammatical structure

Indicate whether each italicized expression is

a compound word (Cd) or a grammatical structure (Gs) Pay no attention to hyphens or spaces, for these are deceptive:

1 Jim’s new car is a hardtop

2 This jar has a rather hard top

3 It was a jack-in-the-box

4 There was a plant in the box

5 A hót dòg is not a hòt dóg

6 He has a dog in the manger attitude

7 She has a strong hold on him

8 She has a stronghold in the Women’s Club

9 George found his father-in-law

10 George found his father in trouble

11 They bought it on the black market

12 The electricity went off, and we were caught

in a black completely lightless, market

13 Agatha is a desígning teàcher

14 Agatha is a desìgning teácher

For a view of the three classes of words, identify the following items with these symbols:

S simple word

Cx Complex word

Cd Compound word

Gs Grammatical structure

Make the IC cuts for Cx and Cd

1 Shárpshòoter _

2 Shàrp shóoter _

3 act

4 react

5 rattlesnake

6 passbook

7 apparatus

8 glowworm

9 import

10 ripcord

11 unearth

12 stick-in-the-mud

State whether the following groups of words are compounds or free word-groups, making use of different criteria:

1 Sweet voice

2 Sweet potato

3 White coffee

4 white-wash

5 White house

6 Hígh-prèssure

7 Hìgh tíde

8 Rèd méat

9 Red eyes

10 Red tap

11 Réd Cròss

12 Gold fish

13 Góld rìng

14 Gólden Àges

15 Golden wedding (50th)

Good luck!