The best way to understand word and morpheme, when they become rather confusing, is through understanding the difference between the two, the word and the morpheme. A language consists of various elements such as sentences, words, syllables, morphemes, etc. A morpheme is usually considered as the smallest element of a word or else a grammar element, whereas a word is a complete meaningful element of language. The difference between the two is that while a word always conveys a meaning, in the case of a morpheme, this is doubtful. It can sometimes convey a meaning and sometimes not. This article attempts to highlight this difference through a description of the two terms.
What is a Morpheme?
A morpheme refers to the smallest meaningful element of a word. A morpheme cannot be further broken into parts. For example, chair, dog, bird, table, computer are all morphemes. As you can see they express a direct meaning yet cannot be further separated into smaller parts. However, a morpheme is not similar to a syllable as it carries a meaning. For example, when we say giraffe, it consists of a number of syllables but a single morpheme. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a single word can carry a number of morphemes. Let us try to understand this through an example. If we take the word ‘regained’, this word consists of 3 morphemes. They are, ‘re’ , ‘gain’ and ‘ed’.
Chair is a Morpheme
In linguistics, we speak of different varieties of morphemes. They are free morphemes and bound morphemes. Free morphemes refer to those that can stand as a single word. Nouns, adjectives can be considered as free morphemes (brush, chalk, pen, act, find). Bound morphemes cannot stand alone. They are usually attached to other forms. Prefixes and suffixes are examples for bound morphemes (re, ly, ness, pre, un, dis).
What is a Word?
A word can be defined as a meaningful element of a language. Unlike a morpheme, it can always stand alone. A word can consist of a single morpheme or a number of morphemes. For example, when we say ‘reconstruct,‘ it is a single word, but it is not a single morpheme but two morphemes together (‘re‘ and ‘construct‘). When forming phrases or sentences, we use a number of words. For example, when we say ‘Didn’t you hear, he has been reassigned to the head office,’ it is a combination of words that convey a meaning to the reader. But, let us take a single word from the sentence, ‘reassigned’; this once again conveys a complete meaning. But even though this is a single word, it consists of a number of morphemes. They are, ‘re’ , ‘assign’, ‘ed’. This is the main difference between a morpheme and a word.
Re (Morpheme) + Construct (Morpheme) = Reconstruct (Word)
What is the difference between Word and Morpheme?
• A morpheme is the smallest meaningful part of a word.
• A word is a separate meaningful unit, which can be used to form sentences.
• The main difference is that while a word can stand alone, a morpheme may or may not be able to stand alone.
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- Chair via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
2. Synthetic means of form-building.
3. Analytical forms.
1. The main task of morphology
is the study of the structure of words. The sinallesl significant
(meaningful) units of grammar are called morghemes.
Morphemes are commonly
classified into free (those which can occur as separate words) and
bound. A word consisting of a single (free) morpheme is
monomorphemic, its opposite is polymorphemic.
According to their meaning
and, function morphemfes are subdivided into lexical (roots),
lexico-grammatical (word-building affixes ) and grammatical
(form-building affexes, or inflexions)
Morphemes
are abstract units, respresented in speech by morphs. Most morphemes
are realized by single morphs: un-self-ish.
Some morphemes may be manifested by more than one morph according to
their position. Such alternative morphs, or positional variants of a
morpheme are called allomorphs: cats, [s], dog’s [z], foxes [iz],
oxen.
Morphemic variants are
identified in the text on the basis of their co-occurence with other
morphs, or their environment. The total of environments constitutes
the distribution.
There may
be three types of morphemic distribution: contrastive,
non-contrastiye, conplementary Morphs are in coutrastive distribution
if their position is the same and their meanings are different:
charming
— charmed.
Morphs are in non-contrastive distribution if their position is the
same and their meanings are the same: learned
— learnt.
Such morphs constitute free variants of the same morpheme. Morphs are
in complementary distribution if their positions are different and
their meanings are the same: speaks.
-teaches.
Such morphs are allomorphs of the same morpheme.
Grammatical
meanings may be expressed by the absence of the morpheme. Compare:
book
— books.
The meaning of plurality is expressed by the morpheme —s.
The meaning of singularity is expressed by the absence of the
morpheme. Such meaningful absence of the morpheme is called
zero-morpheme.
The
function of the morpheme may be performed by a separate word. In the
opposition work
— will work
the meaning of the future is expressed by the word will.
Will is a contradictory unit. Formally it is a word, functionally it
is a morpheme. As it has the features of a word and a morpheme, it is
called a word morpheme. Word-morphemes may be called semi-bound
morphemes.
2. Means of form-building and
grammatical forms are divided into synthetic and analytical.
Synthetic forms are built with
the help of bound morphemes, analytical forms are built with the help
of semi-bound morphemes (word-morphemes).
Synthetic means of
form-building are affixation, sound-interchange (inner-inflexion),
suppletivity.
Typical
features of English affixation are scarcity and homonymy of affixes.
Another characteristic feature is a great number of zero-morphemes.
Though .English grammatical
affixes are few in number, affixation is a productive means of
form-building.
Sound
interchange may be of two types: vowel- and consonant-interchange. It
is often accompanied by affixation: bring
— brought.
Sound interchange is not
productive in Modern English. It is used to build the forms of
irregular verbs.
Forms of
one word may be derived from different roots: go
— went, I— me, good — better.
This means of form-building is called suppletivity. Different roots
may be treated as suppletive forms if:
1) they have the same lexical
meaning;
2) there are no parallel
non-suppletive forms;
3) other words of the same
class build their forms without suppletivity.
Suppletivity, like
inner-inflexion, is not productive in Modern English, but it occurs
in words with a very high frequency.
3.
Analytical forms are combinations of the auxiliary element (a word
-morpheme) and the notional element; is
writing.
Analytical forms are
contradictory units: phrases in form and wordforms in function.
In the
analytical form is
writing
the auxiliary verb be
is lexically empty. It expresses the grammatical meaning. The
notional element expresses both the lexical and the grammatical
meaning. So the grammatical meaning is expressed by the two
components of the analytical form: the auxiliary verb be
and the affix —ing..
The word-morpheme be
and the inflexion —ing
constitute
a discontinuous morpheme.
Analytical forms are
correlated with synthetic forms. There must be at least one synthetic
form in the paradigm.
Analytical forms have
developed from free phrases and there are structures which take an
intermediary position between free phrases and analytical forms: will
go, more beautiful.
The abundant use of analytical
forms, especially in the system of the verb, is the characteristic
feature of Modern English.
TOPIC IV
Parts
of Speech
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Wordnoun
The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest contrast morpheme.}}
Morphemenoun
(linguistic morphology) The smallest linguistic unit within a word that can carry a meaning, such as «un-«, «break», and «-able» in the word «unbreakable».
‘The word pigs consists of two morphemes: pig (a particular animal) and s (indication of the plural).’; ‘The word werewolves consists of three morphemes: were (~ man), wolf (a particular animal), es (plural)’; ‘The word feet consists of two morphemes: foot (a body part) and i-mutation (plural)’;
Wordnoun
The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes
Morphemenoun
The smallest unit of meaning of a language, which cannot be divided into smaller parts carrying meaning; it is usually smaller than a single wordform, such as the -ed morpheme of verbs in the past tense or the -s morpheme of nouns in the plural form.
Wordnoun
The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes
Morphemenoun
minimal meaningful language unit; it cannot be divided into smaller meaningful units
Wordnoun
A discrete, meaningful unit of language approved by an authority or native speaker (compare non-word).
Morpheme
A morpheme is the smallest meaningful lexical item in a language. A morpheme is not necessarily the same as a word.
Wordnoun
Something like such a unit of language:
Wordnoun
A sequence of letters, characters, or sounds, considered as a discrete entity, though it does not necessarily belong to a language or have a meaning
Wordnoun
(telegraphy) A unit of text equivalent to five characters and one space.
Wordnoun
(computing) A fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit by a machine (on many 16-bit machines, 16 bits or two bytes).
Wordnoun
(computer science) A finite string that is not a command or operator.
Wordnoun
(group theory) A group element, expressed as a product of group elements.
Wordnoun
The fact or act of speaking, as opposed to taking action.
Wordnoun
Something that someone said; a comment, utterance; speech.
Wordnoun
A watchword or rallying cry, a verbal signal (even when consisting of multiple words).
‘mum’s the word’;
Wordnoun
(obsolete) A proverb or motto.
Wordnoun
News]]; tidings used without an article.
‘Have you had any word from John yet?’;
Wordnoun
An order; a request or instruction; an expression of will.
‘He sent word that we should strike camp before winter.’; ‘Don’t fire till I give the word’; ‘Their mother’s word was law.’;
Wordnoun
A promise; an oath or guarantee.
‘I give you my word that I will be there on time.’;
Wordnoun
A brief discussion or conversation.
‘Can I have a word with you?’;
Wordnoun
(in the plural) See words.
‘There had been words between him and the secretary about the outcome of the meeting.’;
Wordnoun
Communication from God; the message of the Christian gospel; the Bible, Scripture.
‘Her parents had lived in Botswana, spreading the word among the tribespeople.’;
Wordverb
(transitive) To say or write (something) using particular words; to phrase (something).
‘I’m not sure how to word this letter to the council.’;
Wordverb
To flatter with words, to cajole.
Wordverb
(transitive) To ply or overpower with words.
Wordverb
To conjure with a word.
Wordverb
To speak, to use words; to converse, to discourse.
Wordinterjection
Truth, indeed, that is the truth! The shortened form of the statement «My word is my bond.»
‘»Yo, that movie was epic!» / «Word?» («You speak the truth?») / «Word.» («I speak the truth.»)’;
Wordinterjection
An abbreviated form of word up; a statement of the acknowledgment of fact with a hint of nonchalant approval.
Wordnoun
The spoken sign of a conception or an idea; an articulate or vocal sound, or a combination of articulate and vocal sounds, uttered by the human voice, and by custom expressing an idea or ideas; a single component part of human speech or language; a constituent part of a sentence; a term; a vocable.
‘You cram these words into mine ears, againstThe stomach of my sense.’; ‘Amongst men who confound their ideas with words, there must be endless disputes.’;
Wordnoun
Hence, the written or printed character, or combination of characters, expressing such a term; as, the words on a page.
Wordnoun
Talk; discourse; speech; language.
‘Why should calamity be full of words?’; ‘Be thy words severe;Sharp as he merits, but the sword forbear.’;
Wordnoun
Account; tidings; message; communication; information; — used only in the singular.
‘I pray you . . . bring me word thitherHow the world goes.’;
Wordnoun
Signal; order; command; direction.
‘Give the word through.’;
Wordnoun
Language considered as implying the faith or authority of the person who utters it; statement; affirmation; declaration; promise.
‘Obey thy parents; keep thy word justly.’; ‘I know you brave, and take you at your word.’; ‘I desire not the reader should take my word.’;
Wordnoun
Verbal contention; dispute.
‘Some words there grew ‘twixt Somerset and me.’;
Wordnoun
A brief remark or observation; an expression; a phrase, clause, or short sentence.
‘All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’; ‘She said; but at the happy word «he lives,»My father stooped, re-fathered, o’er my wound.’; ‘There is only one other point on which I offer a word of remark.’;
Wordverb
To use words, as in discussion; to argue; to dispute.
Wordverb
To express in words; to phrase.
‘The apology for the king is the same, but worded with greater deference to that great prince.’;
Wordverb
To ply with words; also, to cause to be by the use of a word or words.
Wordverb
To flatter with words; to cajole.
Wordnoun
a unit of language that native speakers can identify;
‘words are the blocks from which sentences are made’; ‘he hardly said ten words all morning’;
Wordnoun
a brief statement;
‘he didn’t say a word about it’;
Wordnoun
new information about specific and timely events;
‘they awaited news of the outcome’;
Wordnoun
the divine word of God; the second person in the Trinity (incarnate in Jesus)
Wordnoun
a promise;
‘he gave his word’;
Wordnoun
a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group;
‘he forgot the password’;
Wordnoun
an exchange of views on some topic;
‘we had a good discussion’; ‘we had a word or two about it’;
Wordnoun
the sacred writings of the Christian religions;
‘he went to carry the Word to the heathen’;
Wordnoun
a verbal command for action;
‘when I give the word, charge!’;
Wordnoun
a word is a string of bits stored in computer memory;
‘large computers use words up to 64 bits long’;
Wordverb
put into words or an expression;
‘He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees’;
Word
In linguistics, a word of a spoken language can be defined as the smallest sequence of phonemes that can be uttered in isolation with objective or practical meaning. In many languages, words also correspond to sequences of graphemes () in their standard writing systems that are delimited by spaces wider than the normal inter-letter space, or by other graphical conventions.
‘letters’;
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morpheme | word | Word is a holonym of morpheme.As nouns the difference between morpheme and wordis that morpheme is the smallest linguistic unit within a word that can carry a meaning, such as «un-«, «break», and «-able» in the word «unbreakable» while word is the smallest unit of language which has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. Contrast morpheme. As a verb word isto say or write (something) using particular words; to phrase (something). As an interjection word istruth, indeed, to tell or speak the truth; the shortened form of the statement, «My word is my bond,» an expression eventually shortened to «Word is bond,» before it finally got cut to just «Word,» which is its most commonly used form. Other Comparisons: What’s the difference?
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