MorphologyMeaning of Sounds

Linguistics

Jabberwocky

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought—So resteted he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgery wood, And burbled as it came!

Morpheme 1

[ b ] = ?

[ i ] = ?

[ t ] = ?

[b i t] = Beat (verb)

Morpheme 2

[ t ] = ?

[u ] = ?

[ t u ] = to (Preposition)

Morpheme 3

[ m ] = ?

[ I ] = ?

[ t ] = ?

[ m I t ] = mit (Root for permit)

Morpheme 4

[r ] = ?

[ i ] = ?

[ r i ] = re (prefix; “again”; repaint)

Morpheme 5

[ l ] = ?

[ i ] = ?

[ l i ] = ly (adverb)

Morpheme 6

[ s ] = ?

[ k ae t] = cat (singular noun)

[ k ae t s ] = cats (plural noun)

Morpheme 7

[ k r ae n ] = ?

[ b E r i ] = berry

[ k r ae n b E r i ] = Cranberry

FREE BOUND

Open

Closed

Root

Affix

“Cran”

Derivational

Inflectional

PrefixSuffix

Suffix Prefix

1 Beat 2 To 3 Mit

4 Re5 Ly

6 S 7 cran

Morpheme 1Free Open

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

Adverbs

Morpheme 2: Free Closed

Prepositions

Conjuntions

Determiners

Pronouns

Aux. Verbs

Morpheme 3: Bound, Root

Ceive Receive

Mit Permit

Fer Confer

Ling Linguist

Morpheme 4Bound, Affix, Derivational,

Prefix

Morpheme 5Bound, Affix, Derivational,

SuffixNOUNSAdjective Verb Noun

Boy ish Moral ize Friend ship

Virtu ous Vaccin ate Human ity

Pictur esque Brand ish

Affection ate Haste n

Health ful

Alcohol ic

Life like

Morpheme 5Bound, Affix, Derivational,

SuffixVERBNoun Adjective Verb

Acquitt al Read able Un do

Clear ance Creat ive Re cover

Accus ation Migrat ory

Confer ence Run ny

Sing er

Conform ist

Predict ion

Free dom

Morpheme 5Bound, Affix, Derivational,

SuffixADJECTIVE

Adverb Noun Adjective

Exact ly Tall ness Pink ish

Quiet ly Specific ity In flammable

Feudal ism

Abstract ion

Morpheme 6Bound, Affix, Inflectional, Suffix

Morpheme

Description Example

s Third person singular present

She waits

ed Past tense She waited

Ing Progressive She is waiting

en Past participle She has eaten

s Plural The dogs

‘s Possessive Her cat’s

er Comparative She is shorter than him

est Superlative She is the shortest of them all

Morpheme 7Bound, “Cran”, Prefix

‘CRAN” ROOT

Cran Berry

Straw Berry

Ham Burger

Huckle berry

DANGEROUS MORPHEMES

UN loosen = loosen

UN rip = rip

UN do = reverse doing

UN nerve = fluster

MISUNDERSTOOD MORPHEMES

Longevity “being very tall”

Gubernatorial “to do with peanuts”

Polygot “more than one glot”

Gullible “to do with sea birds”

Homogeneous “devoted to home life”

Pullet Surprises Amsel Greene. 1969.