5 Morphology and Word Formation key concepts

the
 
internal
 
structure
 
of
 
complex
 
words
Complex words (those composed of more than one morpheme) are not 
merely unstructured sequences of morphemes. For example, the plural {-s} 
suffix on dropouts must be added to the entire compound dropout, not to out 
to which drop is then added. The reason for this is that the plural suffix may 
be attached to nouns, but not to verbs or particles. Drop and out constitute 
a noun only after they have been brought together in the compound.
We can use brackets with subscripts to represent these relations: 
[
N
[
N
[
V
drop][
Prt
out]]s]. Alternatively, and equivalently, we can use tree dia-
grams to indicate the parts (constituents) of complex words and their struc-
tural relations:

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139
Morphology and Word Formation
(14)
N
N Pl
V Prt
drop out s
Consider another example: unreadability. We analyze this word as 
[
N
[
Adj
un
1
[
Adj
[
V
read]abil]]ity], represented by the following tree:
(15)
N
Adj 
Suffix
Prefix
Adj
V
Suffix
un
1
read
abil ity
Let’s consider this analysis more closely. The suffix {-able} attaches to verbs 
to create adjectives. Besides readable we have the adjectives doable, manage-
able, and attachable, which are derived from the verbs read, do, manage, and 
attach, respectively. We can represent this part of the word as: [
Adj
[
V
read]
able]. 
The 
prefix {un
1
-} attaches to adjectives, meaning “not” or “the converse 
of.” Compare unwise, unfair, ungrateful, uncomfortable, unmanageable with 
unreadable. All can be glossed as not having the quality denoted by the 
adjective to which they are attached: “not comfortable,” “not fair,” etc. This 
morpheme must be distinguished from the prefix {un
2
-} meaning “to reverse 
the action,” which can be attached only to verbs (e.g., untie).
{Un
1
-} cannot attach to the verb read; although there is the word unread, 
pronounced [@nrEd], not [@nrid], an adjective meaning “not read” and de-
rived from the past participle of read. Consequently, in unreadable, {-able} 
must be attached to {read} to create the adjective readable. {Un
1
-} may then 
be attached to readable to create unreadable. We will represent this part of 
the word as: [
Adj
un
1
[
Adj
[
V
read]able]].
The 
suffix {-ity} attaches to adjectives to create abstract nouns. Conse-
quently it must be attached to the adjective unreadable. The structure of 

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Delahunty and Garvey 
 
140
the entire word therefore must be: [
N
[
Adj
un
1
[
Adj
[
V
read]able]]ity], as specified 
above. In pronunciation the morpheme {-able} will be assigned its allo-
morph /@bIl/ (spelled , the same allomorph that appears in ability).