Morphology 1 – seminar 1 exercises

1. Define the following terms and give three examples illustrating each term:
morpheme, prefix, suffix, affix, compound, root, truncation

2. Identify the individual morphemes in the words given below and determine
whether they are free or bound morphemes, suffixes, prefixes or roots.
Computerize numerous
bathroom intersperse
unthinkable actors

3. Consider the following sentence:

Textbook writers are sometimes grateful for comments and scholarly advice.
a. List all morphemes in. How many morphemes can you detect?
b. List all complex words and state which type of morphological process (inflection,
derivation, or compounding) it is an example of.

4. Discuss the morphological structure of the following words. Are they

morphologically complex? How many morphemes do they contain? Provide a
meaning for each morpheme that you detect.
report refrain regard retry rest
rephrase reformat retain remain restate

5.Explain the notion of stem allomorphy using the following words for illustration.
active - activity curious - curiosity affect - affection possess - possession

6. Determine the internal structure of the following complex words. Use tree
diagramms for representing the structure and give arguments for your analysis.
uncontrollability postcolonialism anti-war-movement

7. The following words are the products of non-affixational derivation. Find the base
words from which they are derived and name the type of non-affixational process by
which the derivative was formed. Consult a dictionary, if necessary.
Greg UFO boycott deli OED
Caltech Amerindian frogurt laser intro

8. There is a class of diminutives that are derived by partial repetition of a base word,
a formal process also known as partial reduplication. Consider the following
examples:
Andy-Wandy Annie-Pannie piggie-wiggie Roddy-Doddy Stevie-Weavy
Brinnie-Winnie lovey-dovey Charlie-Parlie boatie-woatie housey-wousey
The interesting question is of course what determines the shape of the second
element, the so-called reduplicant. In particular, one would like to know which part
of the base is reduplicated and in which way this part is then further manipulated to
arrive at an acceptable reduplicated diminutive. Try to determine the pertinent
generalizations.

10. Classify the words as being products of either inflection, derivation or

compounding.
blackboard eraser unacceptability flowerpots movie monster
broad-shouldered hard-working speaking developmental

11. Name three general characteristics of English compounds. Use the data below for
illustration.
oak-tree drawbridge sky-blue mind-boggling

12. Classify the following compounds as exocentric, endocentric, possessive,

appositional, or coordinative.
frying pan redhead maidservant author-reader (exchange)
Austria-Hungary hardtop silk worm man-machine (interaction)
bootblack German-English actor-manager gas-light

13. Are underdog, undercoat and overtax, overripe compounds or prefixed derivatives? Go
back to the discussion of affixes and prefixes in sections 1 and 5 of chapter 4. Which
arguments can be adduced for the status of under- and over- in the above forms?