Morphology

The study of word construction

Getting Started

• With your table mates brainstorm a list of free morphemes with: three, four and five letters.

What is a free morpheme?

• Free morphemes stand alone as words.• They are derived from Anglo-Saxon roots.• It can’t be broken into smaller word parts.• Some examples: help, play, porcupine,

salamander.

What is a bound morphemes

• Cannot stand alone as words• There are five types:• Prefixes are fixed at the beginning of a word.• Suffixes are fixed to the end.• Greek and Latin roots.

Activities

• At your table, you will be given directions to complete an activity together.

• You have ten minutes to work. • Be prepared to share your work.

1. Defining common affixes

Prefix Definition Suffix Definitionre- Again, back (redo)

-ed Past-tense verbs

in-, im- Not (injustice, impossible)

-s, -es More than one

un- Not (unfriendly)

-ing Verb form/present participle

dis- Not, opposite of (disagree)

-ly Characteristic of

en-, em-

Cause to (encode, embrace)

-er, -or One who (worker, actor)

2. Brainstorm words with the following prefixes

Inter- (between) Semi- (half) Sub- (under) Mis- (wrong) De- (not, opposite)InteractInterviewInterventionInterrelateInterpret

SemiautomaticSemicircleSemiannualSemicolonSemifinal

SubtractSubparSubmarineSuburbSubcategory

MistakeMisfireMiscalculateMisuseMishap

DeactivateDeconstructDefaceDemoralizeDeforestation

3. Brainstorm words with the following suffixes

-ic (having characteristics of)

-ive (adj. form of noun)

-less (without) -ity (state of) -ful (full of)

LinguisticManicToxicArtisticIdealistic

ExpressiveCreativeImaginativeElusiveAuthoritative

FearlessChildlessCluelessSenselessPenniless

InfinityCalamityInsanityDepravityAffinity

CarefulJoyfulThankfulStressfulHelpful

4. Brainstorm words with the following Latin root words

Fract (break) Ject (throw) Port (carry) Voc (voice) Bene (well, good)FractureInfractionFractionDiffractFractionally

EjectRejectRejectionInjectInjection

TransportPortalPorterAirportDeport

VocalVocabularyInvocationAdvocateVocalize

BenefactorBeneficiaryBenevolentBenefitBeneficial

5. Brainstorm words with the following Greek roots

Mech (machine) Therm (heat) Scope (see) Para (beside) Graph (write, record)

MechanicMechanismMechanicallyMechanizedBiomechanics

ThermalThermometerThermodynamicHypothermiaEndothermic

MicroscopeTelescopePeriscopeMicroscopicKaleidoscope

ParallelParalegalParaprofessionalParasiteParachute

AutographMimeographBibliographyPictographTelegraph

6. Assimilation/Dissimilation

In- Im- -al -arIneptIndescribableInsecureInoperableInfallible

ImpossibleImmortalImbalanced

Use im- when:In front of b, m, or p Use –ar when:Root word ends in /l/ sound (cell, particle)

PaternalConventionalSkepticalArtificialGeneral

CellularParticular

Epenthesis

• The process of inserting a sound to create an acceptable sequence.

• One example is a and an.• A is for words that begin with a consonant and

an is in front of words that begin with a vowel to break up two vowels.

Metathesis

• Reversing a sound in a word to avoid an unacceptable combination.

• English does not use metathesis between morphemes.

• Sometimes young children will reverse sounds, based on their development level.

Discussion

• How would you use this information when teaching native English speakers?

• How might this change with English language learners?

Exit Slip

• Please complete • Thank you!!