Nurhadi Hamka

U5880202

Tutorial Activity for Week 4

HAND IN A HARD COPY AT THE START OF YOUR WEEK 4 TUTORIAL
MAKE A COPY TO TAKE NOTES ON IN CLASS (OR USE YOUR ELECTRONIC COPY)

Exercise 1. Classifying morphemes

1. Divide the bold words into morphemes (the smallest units of meaning)
a) The extreme difficulties highlighted the nature of the greatest forces in the world.
b) This thoughtfulness contrasts with some strange ideas.
c) This is raspberry icecream.
Answers:
a) Extreme
Difficult
-i the suffix i change the meaning into noun
-es the suffix es is the plural form of the noun difficulty
High
-light the function derivational light can be basically lexical, but the
combnation of high+light create a new meaning and form. And that, in this
sentence, the form of highlight is verb.
*compound word
-ed the suffix ed can change the verb form to past form
Great
-est superlative degree
World
b) This
Thought
-ful the suffix ful changes the form from noun (thought) to adjective
-ness the suffix ness changes the form from adjective (thoughtful) to noun
c) Raspberry
Ice
-cream *compound word, in a dictionary, it is written separately.

2. List the morphemes separately. (You will need to create extra rows in the table).

Then, for each identified morpheme state:

3. their structure [free or bound: if bound, then prefix, infix or suffix]
4. their function: [lexical, grammatical, derivational or inflectional]
5. Note any issues or difficulties you encounter.

Note: The first words extreme and difficulties have been done for you as examples:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
divide word list structure? function? issues?
morphemes
a. extreme extreme free lexical I analyse this word as a single
morpheme. In some words, ex-
is a derivational prefix that
means former, e.g. ex-wife. It
does not contribute a clear
meaning like this here, and nor
does the remnant -treme.

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 1 of 6

 Nurhadi Hamka
U5880202

a. difficult/i/es difficult free lexical

-i bound: suffix derivational There is a spelling change
singular -plural:
difficult-y > difficult-i-es
-es bound: suffix inflectional The plural morpheme has a
number of allomorphs: here it is
[z], the voiced sound.
a. highlighted High Free Lexical Adjective, it is a single
morpheme

-light Compound As it As the word light is combined

word which constructs with high, the form of the word
construct the the whole changes in which from adjective
meaning new unit, I (high) to a verb (highlight)
would say
this as
derivational

-ed Bound: suffix Inflectional The form changes (from present

to past) but the meaning is still
the same
a. greatest Great Free Lexical

-est Bound: suffix inflectional The morpheme est shows the

superlative degree of the word
great but it doesnt change the
words meaning
a. world World Free Lexical

b. this This Free Grammatical It is independent and can stand

alone
b. thoughtfulness Thought Free Lexical

-ful Bound: suffix Derivational the suffix ful changes the form
from noun (thought) to adjective

-ness Bound: suffix Derivational the suffix ness changes the form
from adjective (thoughtful) to noun

c. raspberry Raspberry Free Lexical This word seems to have two

lexical items but they bound each
other and have their own
meaning as one lexical item
c. icecream Icecream Free Lexical *compound word, in a dictionary, it
is written separately

Exercise 2. Explaining morphological sticking points

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 2 of 6

 Nurhadi Hamka
U5880202

English derivational morphology consists of adding affixes to words.

State what sort of problems the following words present for such a description of morphological
analysis.

a) circularity
b) width
c) unravel
d) deception
e) song

Note: circularity has been done here as an example:

a) circularity
The affixes (l)ar and ity are added to a base form that is not a free-standing word like the quote
suggests. The base word in circularity is actually difficult to isolate exactly. From the meaning, I
would expect it to be circle, but the pronunciation (and spelling) differ: circul- or maybe
circu- seems to provide the lexical meaning (to do with circles), but neither of these is an
independent word.
b) Width
Wide is the base word of width. It is an adjective form. The suffix th changes it
into a noun form. e.g. long->length, strong->strength, etc.

c) Unravel
The base word of unravel is ravel which has the same meaning, but it is uncommon
for native English speaker to use ravel.

d) Deception
The base word of deception is deceive which is verb. After eliminating some
characters and addition of suffix ion, it turns into noun.

e) Song
The word is a noun.

Exercise 3. Testing for constituents of sentences

Apply each of the constituency tests i-v in the box,
to the bolded strings of words in the sentences below. CONSTITUENCY TESTS
The tests of Reduction and Omission (vi) are optional. i. Sentence fragment
On the basis of these tests decide if the string can ii. Substitution
work as a constituent of the larger sentence. iii. Coordination
iv. Mobility/Distribution
Note: {this ant species with a fieldguide} v. No intrusion
in sentence a) is done as an example for you. vi. Reduction/Omission
a) We need to identify {this ant species with a fieldguide}.
b) The most important matter is {to pass the exams}.
c) We bought {the children some books}.

a) {this ant species with a fieldguide}

i. Sentence fragment
No single question elicits the answer {this ant species with a fieldguide}. Questions just get parts

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 3 of 6

 Nurhadi Hamka
U5880202

of this string, not the whole lot, which is evidence that it is not a single constituent of this sentence.
e.g. Question: We need to identify what? Answer: this ant
Question: We need to identify how? Answer: with a fieldguide etc

ii. Substitution
I cannot find a substitute word that successfully replaces the whole of {this ant species with a
fieldguide} which indicates it might not be a single constituent of the sentence:
- pronoun: it only replaces this ant species, same as an indefinite pronoun something
- adverb thus could replace with a fieldguide, but does not include this ant species

iii) Coordination
?We need to identify {this ant species with a fieldguide} and {this snake species with expert
help}.
It looks like this string can coordinate with a another similar string... But I have to assign special,
contrastive stress to the underlined bits so the coordination makes sense, so they seem to be the
constituents that are coordinated, rather than the whole string. Perhaps this too suggests that this is
not straightforwardly a single constituent.

iv) Mobility/Distribution
fronting:
?{this ant species with a fieldguide} we need to identify.
While this is semi-comprehensible, it is not an English sentence anyone would ever say (unless
you are Yoda off Star Wars).

clefting:
!! It is {this ant species with a fieldguide} that we need to identify.
! What we need to identify is {this ant species with a fieldguide}.
By forcing this string as a whole into a cleft, it makes it sound like the ant species has a
fieldguide!!

To render the actual meaning of the sentence, either just this ant species or with a fieldguide
can be fronted or clefted, not both. This shows this string is not functioning as a single constituent
of the sentence.
e.g. It is this ant species that we need to identify with a fieldguide. OR
It is with a fieldguide that we need to identify this ant species.

v) No Intrusion
We need to identify {this ant species |INTRUSION| with a fieldguide}
It seems that I can insert I think or between you and me in the middle of this string,
which might indicate it is not a single constituent.

vi) (Applying these is optional. Try them by all means but only record the results if they are
useful)

- Reduction: We need to identify species

Reducing this string to, say, species leaves out the reference to with a fieldguide. So this too
suggests this string is not a single constituent.

- Omission: * We need to identify {...}

Omitting the string results in an ungrammatical sentence. However, this is due to the fact that
identify is a transitive verb and it requires an object, and is not related to whether the deleted
material works together as a constituent.

Conclusion:

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 4 of 6

 Nurhadi Hamka
U5880202

Taken together these constituency tests tell us that the string {this ant species with a fieldguide}
is not functioning as a single constituent in the sentence.

b) The most important matter is {to pass the exam}

I. Sentence Fragment
I might say sentences fragment like the following:
The most important matter is how? Answer: to pass
The most important matter is what? Answer: the exam
However, a single question (what) can elicit the whole unit
The most important matter is what? Answer: to pass the exam

This is evidence that it refers to a single constituent of this sentence.

II. Substitution
In the substitution test, I cannot find a single word that can represent the whole
unit to pass the exam
Pronoun that only replaces the exam but does not accommodate to pass

III. Coordination
?The most important matter is{to pass the exams} if I separate to pass and the
exams, then both could not mean anything and cannot coordinate with another
string.
This implies that this is might be a single constituent.

IV. Mobility/Distribution

fronting:
?{to pass the exam} the most important matter is.
While this is semi-comprehensible, it is not an English sentence unless is is
positioned in front of the most.

clefting:
!! It is {to pass the exam} that the most important matter is.
! What the most important matter is {to pass the exam}.
By forcing this string as a whole into a cleft, it makes it sound like the sentence is not
comprehensible.

To render the actual meaning of the sentence, neither to pass or the exam can be
fronted or clefted, since it would be meaningless. This shows this string is only
functioned as a single constituent of the sentence.
e.g. It is to pass that the most important matter is the exam. OR
It is the exams that the most important matter is to pass.

V. No Intrusion
The most important matter is {to pass |INTRUSION| the exam}
It seems that I cannot insert I think or between you and me in the
middle of this string, which might indicate it is a single constituent.

Conclusion:
Taken together these constituency tests tell us that the string {to pass the exam} is
functioning as a single constituent in the sentence

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 5 of 6

 Nurhadi Hamka
U5880202

c) We bought {the children some books}

I. Sentence Fragment
No single question elicits the answer {the children some books}.
Questions just get parts of this string, not the whole lot, which is evidence that it
is not a single constituent of this sentence.
e.g. Question: We bought what? Answer: some books
Question: We bought it for who? Answer the children etc.

II. Substitution
In the substitution test, I cannot find a single word that can represent the whole
unit the children some books
Pronoun them only replaces the children but does not accommodate some
books
Pronoun it or that only replaces some books but does not accommodate the
children

III. Coordination
? We bought {The children some books} and {the grandchildren some toys}
It looks like this string can coordinate with another similar string. But I have to
assign special, contrastive stress to the underlined bits so the coordination makes
sense, so they seem to be the constituents that are coordinated, rather than the
whole string. Perhaps this suggests that this is not straightforwardly a single
constituent.

IV. Mobility/Distribution

fronting:
?{the children some books} we bought.
While this is semi-comprehensible, it is not an English sentence even if it sounds like
a passive sentence but still incorrect.

clefting:
!! It is {the children some books} that we bought.
! What we bought is{the children some books}.
By forcing this string as a whole into a cleft, it makes it sound like the children have
some books!!

To render the actual meaning of the sentence, either just the children or some
books can be fronted or clefted, not both. This shows this string is not functioning as
a single constituent of the sentence.
e.g. It is the children that we bought some books. OR
It is some books that we bought the children.

V. No Intrusion

We bought {the children |INTRUSION some books}

It seems that I can insert I think or between you and me in the middle of
this string, which might indicate it is not a single constituent.

Conclusion:
Taken together these constituency tests tell us that the string {the children some
books} is not functioning as a single constituent in the sentence.

LING2020/LING6020: The structure of English: Tutorial Assignment in Week 4: p. 6 of 6