GB chapter 3 the lexicon Sandra Powell EDUC 5658 Pedagogical grammar Word forms morphology Morphology is study of grammar at the level of the WORD In English words can be added on to and changed in certain patterned ways ID: 760755
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Slide1
Morphology: prefixes and suffixesGB chapter 3 the lexicon
Sandra Powell
EDUC 5658 Pedagogical grammar
Slide2Word forms/ morphology
Morphology is study of grammar at the level of the WORD.
In English, words can be added on to and changed in certain patterned ways.
Slide3Word forms/ morphology
In English, words can be added on to and changed in certain patterned ways....
We can add PREFIXES to the beginning of a word and SUFFIXES to the end of a word.
Modern English does not usually modify the middle parts of words in patterned ways, although Old English did (that is why we have TAKE /TOOK/TAKEN, SHAKE/SHOOK/SHAKEN)
Slide4Two terms from linguistics that are useful for understanding different ways we use prefixes and suffixes in English
DerivationWe can form a new word derived from another word by adding a prefix or suffix. Examples (in English)circle: semi/circul/argraduate: post/gradua/tion
Inflection
We can vary the forms of words to express grammatical meaning and fit the words into relation with other words.
Examples
(in English)
I
like
- he
like/s
Can you
ski
? –
Ski/
ing
is fun. I fell down while I was
ski/
ing
.
My car is
old
, but
Jane
has a new car – My car is
old/
er
than
Jane/’s
car.
Slide5Why is the difference important for teaching?
Learners can’t avoid using inflected forms in SPEAKING and WRITING. They are obligatory; it isn’t possible to avoid S/V agreement, sing/plural, -ing forms of verbs....Learners need to know derivational prefixes and suffixes for DECODING and UNDERSTANDING new words, but they don’t have to use them immediately.
Inflection: I like - he like/s Can you ski? – Ski/ing is fun. I fell down while I was ski/ing.My car is old, but Jane has a new car – My car is old/er than Jane/’s car.
Derivation:
circle: semi/
circul
/
ar
graduate: post/
gradua
/
tion
Slide6Why is the difference important for teaching?
Inflection applies to MOST WORDS in a word class... Inflected forms are predictable.We can teach inflections with RULES and learners can expect that they can apply the same rules when they add new words to their vocabulary.Derivation applies to ONLY SOME words in a word class. It is less predictable.Learners may have to use a dictionary, or ask “is this a word?” when they use derivational prefixes and suffixes to form new words.
Inflection: I like - he like/sI sing – she sing/s. I burp – he burp/s. Jane – Jane/’s car. A mother – a mother/’s heart . The university – the university/’s policy
Derivation:
circle: semi/
circul
/
ar
o
val:
???
Semi/oval/
ar
g
raduate: post/
gradua
/
tion
t
hink:
???post/think/
tion
after/thought
Slide7Why is the difference important for teaching?
Teach inflection...As patterns and rules (like grammar). At phrase and sentence level, not as forms to memorize in a list. Expect all learners to make mistakes with inflections for a long time, and to need lots of practice with using the forms in speaking and writing. Explicit knowledge ≠ implicit knowledge (skill)
Teach derivational prefixes and suffixes...
As vocabulary (learn meanings of prefixes/suffixes)
For “word attack” skills when trying to understand new words in reading/ listening
.
More for intermediate and higher levels, not
beginners.
Expect that learners from some language backgrounds will need more work than others with “word attack” and using word forms correctly in
sentences.
Slide8Derivational prefixes and suffixes
PREFIXES in modern English usually change the meaning, but not the word class/part of speech, of a word.un/happy (adjective)re/do (verb)over/confident (adjective)mini/bike(noun)
SUFFIXES in modern English often change the word class/part of speech of a word.
happy
(
adj
) – happi
ness
(n)
do (verb) – do
able
(
adj
)
confident (
adj
) – confident
ly
(
adv
)
bike
(n) - bik
er
(n
)
(This
one doesn’t change the word class, but it changes from a THING to a
PERSON)
Slide9Derivational prefixes and suffixes
Because PREFIXES change meaning but have no grammatical effect, you can teach them as vocabulary items, with examples.Important for understanding meaningun/happy (adjective)re/do (verb)over/confident (adjective)mini/bike(noun)
Because SUFFIXES often change words from one word class to another, they have an effect on grammar.
Speaking/writing: When learners focus on conveying meaning , they may use the most familiar form of the word (lexical not grammatical processing)
happy
(
adj
) – happi
ness
(n
)
??
I found my
happy
in playing soccer.
do (verb) – do
able
(
adj
)
??
Sandra,
your homework is not
can do!
Too much homework!
confident(
adj
) – confident
ly
(
adv
)
?? I want to speak
confident.
Slide10Inflection and inflectional suffixes in English
English
uses inflection, but much less than many other languages
Some languages do not vary the forms of words to express grammatical relationships (Mandarin Chinese is
a
non-inflecting language. In linguistics, this is called an
isolating
or
analytic
language)
Most inflecting languages have more inflections
than English:
For example, verb conjugations in French:
J’aime
,
tu
aimes
, nous
aimons
,
ils
aiment
,
que
nous
aimions
(subjunctive),
j’aimais
(imperfect),
j’aimerai
(future)....
Many forms!
Slide11The 8 inflectional suffixes in English
Word class
Inflection
Grammatical
function
Examples
Noun
-s
Marks plural
(grammatical expression of number
)
bird
s
rule
s
Noun
-s
(‘s or ‘ in written form)
Marks possessor
(grammatical expression of case)
Jane
’s
car
The
car
’s
tires
Adjective
-
er
Marks
adjective for use in comparative structures
A coyote is small
er
than a wolf.
Adjective
-
est
Marks adjective for use in superlative structures
You say the sweet
est
things.
Slide12The 8 inflectional suffixes in English
Word class
Inflection
Grammatical
function
Examples
Verb
-
ing
Marks verb for use
in progressive OR use as noun (gerund)
I’m study
ing.
Studying
is hard work.
Verb
-
ed
Marks past tense
We celebrat
ed
.
Everything
stopp
ed.
Verb
-
ed
Marks verb
for use in perfect aspect or passive voice
Summer has arriv
ed.
A
suspect was arrest
ed.
Verb
-s
Marks 3
rd
person singular verb
in present tense: S V agreement
That
make
s
me happy.
The film start
s
at 8:05.
Slide13Do we use these inflectional suffixes with all words in the word class?
Word class
Inflection
Do
we use it with all verbs?
Examples of exceptions
Verb
-
ing
Nearly
100% of verbs have an –
ing
form. Exceptions: modals (can, must, should,
might...)
???
I am
shoulding
study tonight (no
-
ing
form)
Verb
-
ed
(past tense)
No.
There is a large set of common irregular verbs that have special forms for past tense.
Someone
stole
my
Ipad
!
The sun
rose
at 5:00 am.
Verb
-
ed
(past participle)
No.
There is a large set of common irregular verbs that have special forms for past participle.
Summer has
begun
.
Your sins are
forgiven.
Verb
-s
Nearly 100% of verbs
.
Exceptions: Verbs HAVE and BE (don’t put –s on the base form). Modals.
My house
has
(not haves) a yard. She
is
(not
bes
) a teacher.
???
He
cans
do it.
Slide14Do we use these inflectional suffixes with all words in the word class?
Word class
Inflection
Do
we use it with all nouns?
Examples of exceptions
Noun
-s (plural)
A
few exceptions: irregular plurals, foreign plurals, some animals
A large group of nouns classified as uncountable don’t have a plural form
Children, teeth, alumni, deer, sheep
Information, luggage, water
Noun
-s
(‘s or ‘ in written form)
Yes, but
not with pronouns. They have a special form to mark possession.
Your
turn.
I like
my
house.
Slide15Do we use these inflectional suffixes with all words in the word class?
Word class
Inflection
Do
we use it with all adjectives?
Examples of exceptions
Adjective
-
er
No.
For adjectives longer than 2 syllables and some 2-syllable adjectives, we use the word “more” instead of –
er
for comparative
Tigers
are
more
aggressive than other big cats.
You must be
more
patient.
Adjective
-
est
No.
The same adjectives that don’t have –
er
comparatives also don’t have –
est
superlatives.
I chose the
most
expensive option.
Slide16Why do learners continue to make mistakes with English inflections even at fairly advanced proficiency?
One theory is that, because English doesn’t rely much on inflections to express meaning, learners don’t need to focus on them to understand. They can tune out and not notice the inflections. This slows acquisition.
Another theory is that English inflections sound too similar.
3 of the 8 inflections sound exactly the same
, though they express different meanings:
She smoke
s
, Bart’
s
book, 3 book
s
2 of the 8 inflections are –
ed
for regular verbs:
I
walk
ed
(past tense)
,
I have walk
ed
(past participle)
Slide17Old English (1000 years ago) inflected nouns to express CASE, the relationships between nouns and verbs in a sentence.We still do this in our pronouns but not with nouns....
1,000 years ago: English was a much more inflected language
Slide18Remnants of case inflection in the pronoun system in English
Pronouns:I like books. Books please me.(different forms for subject and object)This is my book.This book is mine.(different forms for possessive adjective and possessive pronoun)
Nouns:
That
man
likes books.
Books please that
man
.
(same form for subject and object)
This is that
man’s
book.
This book is that
man’s
.
(same form for possessive adjective and possessive pronoun)
Slide19Why is this information important for teaching?
English uses
inflection and derivation,
but much less than many other languages
Learners’ 1st languages have an influence on their acquisition pattern. Learners with isolating/analytic
L1s often
need more explicit instruction and practice with derivation and inflection.
1000 years ago, English marked case on nouns with
inflections
Not important for teaching. Learners don’t need to know the history behind the language.
Teach pronouns separately from nouns. Tell this as an interesting but not important fact if learners ask why pronouns have so many forms.
Slide20Should I give my learners a list of the 8 inflectional suffixes?
No! A list will not help learners acquire the SKILL of using these inflected forms appropriately.Lists are useful for item-by-item learning (vocabulary) but not for acquiring skill in applying patterns.
Slide21Should I give my learners a list of some derivational prefixes and suffixes?
Maybe, as reference material (like a mini-dictionary or a class vocab. list)
The prefixes and suffixes are VOCABULARY. They’re learned item by item. Learners need them to decode meaning , not to apply as rules.
Slide22Questions about the Powerpoint?
I’
d be happy to talk grammar with you!
Sandra Powell