1.3 The importance of Morphology.

What is Morphology? “Its etymology is Greek: morph-

means ‘shape, form’, and morphology is the study of form or forms. (…) In linguistics morphology refers to the mental system involved in word formation or the branch of linguistic that deals with words, their internal structure, and how they are formed.”

Aronoff & Fudeman, 2011

It is important to clear that linguistic morphology is NOT a science but a sub

discipline of Grammar (A branch of Linguistics).

Phonetics

Phonology

Semantics

Grammar

Some importantBranches of Linguistics

Morphology

Studies

Studies

Studies

Studies

AcousticPhysiology

Of the pronounced sounds.

The way sounds function.

The meaning of linguistics signs.

Form and function of linguistics signs.

Syntax

Morphology has two main functions:

Specified the predictable properties of the complex

words listed in the lexicon, and indicate how new words and words forms can be made.

Morphology serves to expand the lexicon, the set of established words

of a language, but is not the only source of lexical units, and not even

that of all complex words, which also arise through borrowing,

univerbation, and words creation .

Why is important Morphology?

In simple words, Morphology as a subdiscipline of linguistics aims at

adequate language description, at the development of a proper language

typology, and at contributing to debates on the organization of

grammars and the mental representation of linguistic

competence.

Activity time !

• On the Assessments section of the Website, you’ll find some questions about the topic. These aren’t to difficult.

• Due date on August 24, 2011.

This sub-topic is just a little introduction to Morphology. This subdiscipline of Linguistics is in

reality a little more complex, but now we just are focus on know the term

and its importance.

More about morphology…

In the next presentation we will discover two important words related

to morphology: Lexemes and morphemes.

We’ll be more into what is in reality morphology and we will learned to classified and created words in the

English Language.

More about morphology…

Sources.

Aronoff, M. & Fudeman, K. (2011) What is Morphology? Second Edition United Kingdom: Wiley – Blackwell

Booji, G. (2005) The grammar of words USA: Oxford University Press.    

Katamba, F. (1993) Morphology USA: St Martin’s Pres Inc.