LINGUIST 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Bound And Unbound Morphemes, Inflection
Linguistics 201
Lecture 11
10/15/18
Affixional Processes: Derivation and Inflection
*worksheet*
Word # of Morphemes Free Bound
1. Eraser 2 erase -er
2. Wicked 1 wicked ----------
3. Invalid (A) 2 -valid in-
4. Invalid (N) 1 invalid ----------
5. Jack’s 2 Jack -’s
6. Optionality 3 option -al, -ity
7. Refurnish 2 -furnish re-
8. Inabilities 4 abl(e) in-, -it(ie), -s
○ Would “able” or “ability” be the free morpheme in this situation?
i. It would be “able” because it is the “smallest” unit within the word that can
stand on its own and still have meaning.
9. Denationalize 4 -nation- de-, -al, -ize
10. Deride 2 -ride de-
11. Activation 4 act- -iv(e), at(e), -ion
● Free Morphemes vs. Bound Morphemes
○ Free morphemes can occur in isolation and still have meaning. They can be put
together to form new words and meanings.
○ Bound morphemes cannot occur in isolation, but still contain meaning. These can
be added to words to create new words and meanings.
■ Examples:
● Affixes
○ Prefixes
○ Suffixes
○ Infixes
● Examples:
○ “Roping”
■ 2 morphemes
● Free morpheme = “rop(e)”
● Bound morpheme = “-ing”
■ Question: “True or False: Roping is a free morpheme.”
● True
○ Because it can exist on its own and have meaning. So,
based on the definition of a free morpheme makes this
statement true.
○ But this type of question would not typically be applied to
this situation or this word. 9
Document Summary
Would able or ability be the free morpheme in this situation? i. It would be able because it is the smallest unit within the word that can stand on its own and still have meaning: denationalize, deride, activation. Free morphemes can occur in isolation and still have meaning. They can be put together to form new words and meanings. Bound morphemes cannot occur in isolation, but still contain meaning. These can be added to words to create new words and meanings. Question: true or false: roping is a free morpheme. Because it can exist on its own and have meaning. So, based on the definition of a free morpheme makes this statement true. But this type of question would not typically be applied to this situation or this word. Question: is -er in water" a separate morpheme? . There is only one morpheme in the word water. Wat- and -er cannot exist on their own.
