Morpheme

A morpheme is the smallest linguistic unit that conveys a regular meaning. In other words, a morpheme is a form-meaning paring that cannot be analyzed into parts.

/ʌntʌtʃəbl̩/ → /ʌn/(not) + /tʌtʃəbl̩/(can be touched) → /ʌn/(not) + /tʌtʃ/(make contact) + /əbl̩/(can be done)

Free Morpheme

Free Morpheme

Morphemes which could appear in a monomorphemic Word.

/kæt/(feline), /tʌtʃ/(make contact)

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Bound Morpheme

Bound Morpheme

Morphemes which cannot appear in a monomorphemic Word.

/ʌn/(not), /əbl̩/(can be done)

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Root (Stem)

The word to which morphemes are added.

Affixes

Affixes

Affixes are the morphemes that are added.

Kinds of Affixes

Prefixes

An affix that goes before a root.

/hɪˈstɔːrɪk/ + /priː-/ = /ˌpriːhɪˈstɔːrɪk/

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Suffixes

An affix that goes after a root.

/kaɪnd/ + -/nɛs/ = /ˈkaɪndnɛs/

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Infixes

An affix that goes inside a root.

(Tagalog) /sulat/ + -/um/- = /sumulat/

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Circumfixes

An affix that goes around a root.

/laɪt/ + /ɛn/-...-/ən/ = /ɛnˈlaɪtən/

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