Morphology: Some Basic Concepts
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Date
2018-10-15
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General Studies Division, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
Abstract
MORPHOLOGY: SOME BASIC CONCEPTS
Introduction
Linguistics is a fascinating subject that embodies other important fields. It is generally defined as the scientific study of language. Language remains the essential tool in the study of levels of linguistic analysis namely: Phonetics and phonology (i.e. the study of sound units and its organisation); Morphology (the study of word formation); Syntax (also grammar; the study structural rules guiding sentence formation); Semantic (the study of meaning); and Pragmatics (the study of meaning in context).
This chapter focuses on morphology which is a branch of linguistics that is concerned with the formation of words, usage and application of different morphemes. The term “Morphology” is a Greek-based word parallel to the German “Formenlehre”. The study of the forms that gained prominence in the 19th Century (Mathew, 1974, p.2).
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Morphology,, morphemes,, word,, phrase,, clause,, sentence