Difference between revisions of "Morpheme"
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| − | A morpheme is the smallest unit of language | + | A '''morpheme''' is the smallest meaning -bearing unit of language. |
| − | + | ===Examples=== | |
| + | ''Kangaroo'' is one morpheme. ''Kangaroos'' is two morphemes, ''kangaroo'' and plural ''-s''. The ''-s'' expresses the meaning 'many' or 'more than one' in this example. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Polysemy=== | ||
| + | ''Morpheme'' may also be used for 'grammatical morpheme', see [[morpheme (i.e. grammatical morpheme)]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Synonym=== | ||
| + | *[[moneme]] (Martinet) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Origin=== | ||
| + | The term ''morpheme'' was coined by Jan Baudouin de Courtenay in c. 1880. It is based on Greek ''morph-'' 'form' and the suffix -eme, on the analogy of the term ''phoneme''. See Mugdan (1986) for detailed discussion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Reference=== | ||
| + | Mugdan, Joachim. 1986. Was ist eigentlich ein Morphem? | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Other languages=== | ||
| + | German Morphem Spanish morfema | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{dc}} | ||
| + | [[Category:Morphology]] | ||
Revision as of 12:15, 11 January 2008
A morpheme is the smallest meaning -bearing unit of language.
Examples
Kangaroo is one morpheme. Kangaroos is two morphemes, kangaroo and plural -s. The -s expresses the meaning 'many' or 'more than one' in this example.
Polysemy
Morpheme may also be used for 'grammatical morpheme', see morpheme (i.e. grammatical morpheme).
Synonym
- moneme (Martinet)
Origin
The term morpheme was coined by Jan Baudouin de Courtenay in c. 1880. It is based on Greek morph- 'form' and the suffix -eme, on the analogy of the term phoneme. See Mugdan (1986) for detailed discussion.
Reference
Mugdan, Joachim. 1986. Was ist eigentlich ein Morphem?
Other languages
German Morphem Spanish morfema
