Subject: Introduction to Morphology
Chapter: PDF NOTES - Intro to Morphology
Type: Free PDF Notes
Derivational Morphology - Unit 3 — Free written notes for Introduction to Morphology on EduFlame Pakistan.
3.1 What is Derivational Morphology?
Derivational morphology is the branch of morphology concerned with the creation of new words through the addition of affixes or other word-formation processes. Unlike inflectional morphology, derivation often changes the meaning of a word, its grammatical category, or both. As a result, derivation produces entirely new lexical items rather than merely expressing grammatical information.
For example, when the suffix -er is added to the verb teach, the new word teacher is formed. The grammatical category changes from a verb to a noun, and a new lexical item is created.
3.2 Formation of Nouns
Nouns can be derived from verbs and adjectives through the addition of specific derivational suffixes.
From Verbs
Examples:
These suffixes transform actions or processes into nouns that denote people, results, or abstract concepts.
From Adjectives
Examples:
In these examples, adjectives are converted into nouns expressing states, qualities, or conditions.
3.3 Formation of Adjectives
Adjectives are commonly derived from nouns and verbs through the addition of derivational suffixes.
From Nouns
Examples:
These suffixes create adjectives that describe qualities or characteristics associated with the original noun.
From Verbs
Examples:
These derived adjectives express the capacity, tendency, or result associated with an action.
3.4 Formation of Verbs
Verbs can be derived from nouns and adjectives through the use of prefixes and suffixes.
From Nouns and Adjectives
Examples:
These processes create verbs that express causing, making, or becoming.
3.5 Formation of Adverbs
In English, most adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding the suffix -ly.
Examples:
The suffix -ly converts adjectives into adverbs that describe how an action is performed.
3.6 Minor Processes of Derivation
Blending
Blending combines parts of two existing words to create a new word. Unlike compounding, blended words do not preserve the complete form of both source words.
Examples:
Blending is particularly common in modern English and often reflects technological and social developments.
Clipping
Clipping shortens a longer word while retaining its original meaning.
Examples:
Clipped forms are widely used in everyday communication due to their convenience and brevity.
Backformation
Backformation creates a new word by removing what appears to be an affix from an existing word.
Examples:
In many cases, the newly created word becomes more common than the original form from which it was derived.
Acronyms and Initialisms
An acronym is formed from the initial letters of a series of words and is pronounced as a single word.
Examples:
An initialism is also formed from initial letters, but each letter is pronounced separately.
Examples:
Both processes contribute significantly to vocabulary expansion in modern languages.
Reduplication
Reduplication involves repeating all or part of a word to create a new expression or to add meaning.
Full Reduplication
Examples:
Partial Reduplication
Examples:
Reduplication is particularly productive in many South Asian languages, where it may express intensity, repetition, distribution, or emphasis.
3.7 Derivation by Compounding
Compounding is the process of combining two or more free morphemes to create a single lexical item with a unified meaning.
Endocentric Compounds
In endocentric compounds, the compound is a subtype of one of its components, known as the head.
Examples:
The head usually appears on the right side in English compounds.
Exocentric Compounds
In exocentric compounds, the meaning of the compound is not directly represented by either component.
Examples:
The compound refers to something outside the literal meaning of its constituent parts.
Copulative Compounds
In copulative compounds, both elements contribute equally to the meaning, and neither functions as the head.
Examples:
These compounds describe entities that simultaneously possess the characteristics of both components.
3.8 Derivation by Modification of the Base
Some words are derived through changes in the internal structure of the base rather than through the addition of affixes. This process is often known as ablaut or vowel alternation.
Examples:
This type of derivation was more productive in earlier stages of English and remains visible today in a number of inherited word forms. However, modern speakers generally cannot apply this process freely to create new words.