PRACTICE SHEET:

Exercise 2.1

Describe three major problems involved in the notion of morpheme. Use the following word
pairs for illustration:

a. (to) father – (a) father

(to) face – (a) face

Zero affixation/conversion.

It is problematic because the same form represents different meanings.

b. David – Dave
Patricia – Trish

Clipping, a word is made shorter. A morpheme is represented by a process of deletion.

It is problematic because we are deleting from the word, which causes problems because
morphemes are made by units of form and meaning.

c. bring – brought
keep – kept

Extended exponence (discotinuous morphs).

It is problematic because one of the morphs is a process.

Exercise 2.2

Discuss the morphological structure of the following words. Are they morphologically
complex? How many morphemes do they contain? Provide a meaning for each morpheme
that you detect.

Report, refrain, regard, retry, rest, rephrase, reformat, retain, remain, restate.

We find two sets of words:

1) Retry, rephrase, reformat, restate.

-Derived (morphologically complex) words with prefix re-

-Segment “re” is a prefix since it has a common meaning in all these words.

-The bases to which it is attached occur independently.

-The meaning of the derived words can be predicted by summing up the meanings of the
prefix and the bases.

-Secondary stress on prefix.

2) Report, refrain, regard, retain, remain, rest.

 -Monomorphemic, simplex words.

-No stress (except for rest).

Excercise 2.3

Explain the notion of base allomorphy using the following words for illustration. Transcribe
the words in phonetic transcription and compare the phonetic forms.

Active: [ˈæktɪv] Change the position of the stress as a result of the addition of the

Activity: [ækˈtɪvɪti] prefix -ity. Stress shift.

Curious: [ˈkjʊəriəs] Stress shift and vowel change. Change the position of the stress

Curiosity: [ˌkjʊəriˈɒsɪti] as a result of the addition of the prefix -ity.

Affect: [əˈfɛkt] Palatalization. There is a change in the pronunciation when we

Affection: [əˈfɛkʃən] add the suffix -ion. /t/ /ʃ/

Possess: [pəˈzɛs] There is a change in the pronunciation when we add the suffix

Possession: [pəˈzɛʃən] -ion. /s/  /ʃ/

Exercise 2.5

Determine the allomorphy of the prefix in- on the basis of the data below…

Before a labial: /ɪm/  Impenetrable, impossible.

Before a velar: /ɪn/  Inconsistent, incomprehensible, incompetent.

Before an alveolar or a vowel: /ɪn/  Inoffensive, inevitable, indifferent, ingenious.

Before /m, n, l, r/: /ɪ/

/ɪ/ ‘il’  Illiterate, ilegal, ilogical.

/ɪ/ ‘ir’  Irresponsible, irresistible, irregular.

/ɪ/ ‘im’  Immobile.

/ɪ/ ‘in’  Innumerable.

FURTHER PRACTICE

Consider the words below:

a. Report, import, transport, deport, comport, export.

All these words contain elements that seem to be independent and recyclable.

There is no constant meaning. Recyclable units.

 b. Cranberry, huckleberry, raspberry.

They have no meaning in assolation.

c. Platonic, tobacconist, spasmodic, egotist.

Empty morphs.