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Morphemic analysis

Morphemic analysis is the study of morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in a language, which include roots, prefixes, suffixes, and infixes. The process involves identifying the root, recognizing affixes, determining if morphemes are free or bound, and analyzing their contributions to meaning. This analysis aids in understanding word construction, vocabulary, and grammar, making it valuable in linguistics, language learning, and writing.

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80 views

Morphemic analysis

Morphemic analysis is the study of morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in a language, which include roots, prefixes, suffixes, and infixes. The process involves identifying the root, recognizing affixes, determining if morphemes are free or bound, and analyzing their contributions to meaning. This analysis aids in understanding word construction, vocabulary, and grammar, making it valuable in linguistics, language learning, and writing.

Uploaded by

animesh das
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Morphemic analysis

Morphemic analysis is the study of morphemes, which are the smallest units of meaning in a
language. Morphemes include roots, prefixes, suffixes, and infixes, each playing a role in
forming words.

Morphemic analysis helps understand how words are constructed, allowing for deeper
insights into vocabulary, grammar, and meaning.

Morphemic Analysis Steps

1. Identify the root: Find the core part of the word that holds the primary meaning
(e.g., act in reactivated).
2. Determine affixes: Identify prefixes, suffixes, and infixes attached to the root (e.g.,
re-, -ate, -ed in reactivated).
3. Analyze meaning contribution: Consider how each morpheme modifies the root's
meaning or grammatical role.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you systematically analyze words:

Step 1: Identify the Root

 Start with the core meaning of the word by identifying its root, the main part that
provides the essential meaning.
 Example: In unhappiness, the root is happy.

Step 2: Recognize Affixes (Prefixes, Suffixes, Infixes)

 Look for affixes attached to the root, including prefixes (beginning of the word),
suffixes (end of the word), and infixes (within the root, though these are rare in
English).
 For instance, in unhappiness:

o Prefix: un- (meaning "not")


o Suffix: -ness (indicating a state or quality)

Step 3: Determine if Morphemes are Free or Bound

 Free morphemes can stand alone as independent words (e.g., happy).


 Bound morphemes cannot stand alone and must attach to another morpheme (e.g.,
un-, -ness).
 Classify each morpheme in the word as either free or bound.

Step 4: Analyze the Contribution of Each Morpheme

 Examine how each morpheme modifies the meaning of the root or changes its
grammatical category.
 Example: In unhappiness:

o un- negates the meaning of the root happy, so it means "not happy."
o -ness changes happy (an adjective) into a noun representing a state, creating
"unhappiness."

Step 5: Check for Allomorphs (if needed)

 Identify if any morphemes appear in alternate forms based on phonological rules,


known as allomorphs.
 Example: The plural morpheme -s has allomorphs like -es (buses) and vowel changes
(foot → feet).

Step 6: Distinguish Between Inflectional and Derivational


Morphemes

 Determine if affixes are inflectional (modifying grammatical features without


changing the word's category, e.g., talk to talked) or derivational (changing the
word’s meaning or part of speech, e.g., happy to happiness).
 For example, in unhappiness, un- and -ness are derivational morphemes because
they modify meaning and change the word’s part of speech.

Step 7: Combine Meanings for Overall Interpretation

 Put the meanings of each morpheme together to understand the word’s full
meaning.
 Example: Unhappiness = "not + happy + state," or "the state of not being happy."

Example Analyses

1.

Word: Disagreement

2.

o Root: agree (free morpheme)


o Prefix: dis- (bound morpheme, meaning "not" or "opposite")
o Suffix: -ment (bound morpheme, creating a noun form)
o Meaning: "A state of not agreeing," or "a difference in opinion."

3.

Word: Unlockable

4.

o Root: lock (free morpheme)


o Prefix: un- (bound morpheme, meaning "not" or "reverse")
o Suffix: -able (bound morpheme, meaning "capable of")
o Ambiguity: This word has two possible meanings depending on the
morpheme grouping:

 (un-lock)-able: "Capable of being unlocked" (the object can be


opened).
 un-(lockable): "Not capable of being locked" (the object cannot be
locked).

Tips for Morphemic Analysis

 Context Matters: Some words might change meaning based on context, especially
with idiomatic or compound expressions.
 Use Dictionaries: If unsure of a morpheme’s meaning, check a dictionary for root
and affix definitions.
 Practice with Different Word Types: Analyze nouns, verbs, adjectives, and complex
words to improve your skills.

Morphemic analysis helps uncover how words are constructed, contributing to richer
language comprehension and vocabulary expansion.

Examples

Unbelievable:

o Un- (prefix meaning "not")


o believe (root, meaning "to trust or accept as true")
o -able (suffix meaning "capable of")

Together, they form "unbelievable," meaning "not capable of being believed."

Dogs:

o Dog (free morpheme/root meaning "a domesticated animal")


o -s (suffix indicating plural)

Here, morphemic analysis reveals the plural form of the noun.

1. Unhappiness

 Un- (Prefix): A bound morpheme meaning "not."


 Happi (Root): Derived from "happy," a free morpheme that conveys the meaning of
joy or contentment.
 -ness (Suffix): A bound morpheme that turns an adjective into a noun, indicating a
state or quality.

Combined Meaning: "Unhappiness" means the state of not being happy or the absence of
happiness.

2. Disagreement

 Dis- (Prefix): A bound morpheme meaning "not" or "opposite."


 Agree (Root): A free morpheme meaning "to concur or share the same opinion."
 -ment (Suffix): A bound morpheme that turns a verb into a noun, indicating the
result or process of an action.

Combined Meaning: "Disagreement" means the state or result of not agreeing, or a


difference in opinion.

Applications

Morphemic analysis is essential in:

 Linguistics: To understand language structure.


 Language Learning: Helps learners break down complex words.
 Literature & Writing: Enhances vocabulary development.

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