Discussion Section 9
November 4, 2011
1.0
Homework 6, Question 1
• What we were looking for: two coda constraints (one old, one new) and a brief discussion of
why [beɪs] + plural suffix = [beɪsɨz]
o The plural suffix is realized as [s] in order to avoid violating which coda
constraint?
o The plural suffix is realized as [ɨz] in order to avoid violating which coda
constraint?
 Insertion of [ɨ] is a repair that happens so that this coda constraint isn’t
violated.
2.0
Morphology: Derivational vs. Inflectional
• Let’s review the four differences between derivational and inflectional morphology.
(1)
Derivational morphemes can change the category of the word being built.
Inflectional morphemes don’t change the category of the word being built.
Affix
[ɨɹ]
[əәbəәl]
[ɨɹ]
[z]
(2)
[bɪld]
[ɹijd]
[naɪs]
[wɪɡ]
[bɪldɨɹ]
[ɹijdəәbəәl]
[naɪsɨɹ]
[wɪɡz]
Derivational or Inflectional?
derivational
derivational
inflectional
inflectional
Derivational morphemes are selective about which members from a given type of words
(e.g., Verb, Noun, or Adjective) they combine with.
 redo vs. *rearrive
Inflectional morphemes are very productive. They can combine with any word of the
proper type (e.g., Verb, Noun, or Adjective), even if this means that the form must
change due to phonotactic constraints.
(3)
Derivational morphemes don’t affect the other words in the sentence.
Inflectional morphemes can have an affect on the other words in the sentence.
[ðəә kæt ɪz waɪt]
*[ðəә kæts ɪz waɪt]
1 [ðəә kæts ɑɹ waɪt]
(4)
A derivational morpheme can’t combine with a word already built with an inflectional
affix.
An inflectional morpheme can combine with a word already built with a derivational
affix.
This is called the…
Morpheme Ordering Constraint: A derivational affix cannot be added to a word built
with an inflectional affix.
• One effect of the morpheme ordering constraint is that you can stack derivational morphemes
more or less as long as you like.
o Once you hit an inflectional morpheme, however, you are done. You cannot add
any more morphemes.
Derivational morphemes can keep following each other:
union
unionize
unionization unionizationability
An inflectional morpheme can follow one (or more) derivational morpheme(s):
unionize  unionized
unionization  unionizations
A derivational morpheme can’t follow an inflectional morpheme:
unions
*unionsize
• What do our four tests tell us about:
o Plural –s
Inflectional: No category change, derivational morphemes
can’t follow it, any word can be pluralized
o –ize
Derivational: Category change; -ize can be followed by
other affixes
• There are two parts to your homework. First, you must come up with a new morphology rule
for the affix in question ([mɪs]). Second, you determine whether an affix is derivational or
inflectional.
• We will walk through an example similar to #1 on your homework using the suffix -ize
a. unionize, colorize, crystallize, victimize
b. *runize, *jumpize,
c. industrialize, sensationalize, tenderize
2 Part 1: Formula for a rule:
⇒Use this formula on your homework⇐
• Use this formula for prefixes:
(prefix) + XXX = YYY
⇑Use this basic formula on your homework⇑
• Use this formula for suffixes:
XXX + (suffix) = YYY
XXX is the category(ies) of word the affix attaches to (i.e., nouns or adjectives or verbs). YYY is
what you get.
• Is –ize a prefix or a suffix? What kinds of words (N, V, or A) does –ize combine with? What
kind of word do you get as a result?
Answer for –ize:
Nouns, Adjectives + -ize = Verb
Part 2: Is –ize derivational or inflectional?
• Your decision about the inflectional/derivational decision should depend on one (or more) of
the criteria above.
o –ize changes the category of a word (Noun or Adjective + -ize = Verb). Category
change is an attribute of derivational morphemes.
o –ize can be followed by other derivational affixes (unionizer, unionizable,
unionization)
• Hint on homework from Kyle: There is a way of using the word Kyle has provided you with
([mɪsθɹowəәbl]) to make this decision for the prefix [mɪs].
3 3.0
Syntax
• Note on Question 2 of the homework: You should draw the phrase-marker trees using the
correct phrase structure rules.
o We didn’t finalize our phrase structure rules in class on Wednesday and there are
a few more rules that we will have to add.
o You can either teach yourselves the rules using the lecture notes and handout
Kyle has posted on his website, or you can wait until after Monday to do the
homework.
Phrase Structure Rules (that we have gotten to as of Wednesday):
S  NP VP
S  CP VP
CP  C S
VP  VP PP
VP  VP CP
VP  V(NP)
VP  Aux VP
PP  P NP
α  α and α
New: NP  (D) N’
N’  N
• There are other rules that Kyle will introduce on Monday (namely, rules involving nouns and
adjectives). Either wait until Monday to finish up your trees, or (if you don’t want to wait) try
to figure out the rules by going through the handout ahead of time.
(1)
Max jumped.
S
4
NP
VP
1
1
N’
V
1
1
N
jumped
1
Max
4 (2) Max has stepped on it.
S
qp
NP
VP
1
4
N’
Aux
VP
1
1
3
N
has
VP
PP
1
1
2
Max
V
P
NP
1
1
1
stepped on
N’
1
N
1
it
(3)
He sat Max on it.
(4)
She walked over rocks and through water.
S
4
NP
VP
1
3
N’
VP
PP
1
2
2
N
V
NP P
NP
1 sat
11 1
He
N on N’
1
1
Max
N
1
it
q
NP
1
N’
1
N
1
She
S
p
VP
wo
VP
PP
1
w1o
V
PP
and
PP
walked 2
2
P
NP
P
NP
1 1
1
1
over N’
through
N’
1
1
N
N
1
1
rocks
water
5 (5)
She walked over rocks and swam through water.
S
q
p
NP
VP
1
q 1 p
N’
VP
and
VP
1
4
4
N
VP
PP
VP
PP
1
1
2
1
2
She
V
P
NP
V
P
NP
walked
1 1
1
1
1
over N’
swam
through N’
1
1
N
N
1
1
rocks
water
(6)
She swam in rivers and camped.
S
q
p
NP
VP
1
q 1 p
N’
VP
and
VP
1
4
1
N
VP
PP
V
1
1
2
1
She
V
P
NP
camped
1
1 1
swam
in
N’
1
N
1
rivers
6 (7)
That Max laughed surprised Martin.
S
q
p
CP
VP
rp
4
C
S
V
NP
1
3
1
1
That
NP
VP surprised
N’
1
1
1
N’
V
N
1
1
1
N
laughed
Martin
1
Max
7