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What is Morphology?
Morphology is the study of the smallest meaning. It also includes study of word formation and structure. The following is a list of all the different parts of morphology:
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) and (McKenna & Stahl, 2009)
- Morphemes are the smallest unit of meaning in a word. Morphemes are either roots or affixes.
- Morphemic analysis is when a student is analyzing a words structure in order to predict its meaning.
- Free morphemes are able to connect to a word or stand alone. Ex: able, cat, free, will.
- Root is a free morpheme that can stand alone and it has meaning.
- Bound morphemes have to connect to another word, they can not stand alone. Ex: /_un/, /_ed/, /_s/, /_re/.
- Affixes are a type of bound morphemes, they connect to root words and change their meaning. There are three types of affixes; prefixes, suffixes, and infixes.
- Prefix is an affix that connects to the beginning of a word and changes its meaning. Ex: un is the prefix in the word undo.
- Suffix is an affix that connects to the end of a word and changes its meaning. Ex: ed is the suffix in the word colored.
- Infix is an affix that connects in the middle of a root word. These do not exist in the English language.
- Derivational morphemes is an affix or a suffix that changes the meaning of a word or its part of speech. Ex: sleep (v) to sleepless (adj) to sleeplessly (Adv).
- Inflectional morphemes change the structure of a word without changing the meaning of the root. There are only eight of them in English and they all appear as suffixes. PLEASE SEE CHART BELOW!
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) and (McKenna & Stahl, 2009)
Why is Morphology Important?
Morphology is extremely important in the literacy world!
Morphology:
Morphology:
- Influences spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
- Allows students to separate morphemes and their definitions in order to understand a word
- Allows students to understand large words by first understanding the smaller morphemes
- Has a huge influence on spelling
Multimedia Resources for Morphology
The following YouTube video gives students tools in understanding morphology! In this video, students make a flip book!
Additional Journals, Articles, and Power Points for Morphology
Articles and Journals (PDF)
morphology_beyond_phonology_to_literacy.pdf | |
File Size: | 489 kb |
File Type: |
Articles and Journals
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, & Abbott, R. (2006). Contributions of morphology beyond phonology to literacy outcomes of upper elementary and middle school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 134-147.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, Abbott, R, Vaughan, K, & Vermeulen, K. (2003). Relationship of morphology and other language skills to literacy skills in at-risk second grade readers and at-risk fourth grade writers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 730-742.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, Abbott, R, Vaughan, K, & Vermeulen, K. (2003). Relationship of morphology and other language skills to literacy skills in at-risk second grade readers and at-risk fourth grade writers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 730-742.
Power Points
Holdgreve-Resendez, R. T. (2010). Morphology. Extracted from www.angel.msu.edu on November 10, 2010. Morphology.
fall_vocabulary_morphology.ppt | |
File Size: | 519 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
References
Holdgreve-Resendez, R.T. (2001). Morphology. Extracted from www.angel.msu.edu on November 10, 2010. Morphology.
McKenna, M. C., & Stahl, K. A. D. (2009). Assessment for reading instruction, second edition. New York: Guilford.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, & Abbott, R. (2006). Contributions of morphology beyond phonology to literacy outcomes of upper elementary and middle school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 134-147.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, Abbott, R, Vaughan, K, & Vermeulen, K. (2003). Relationship of morphology and other language skills to literacy skills in at-risk second grade readers and at-risk fourth grade writers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 730-742.
McKenna, M. C., & Stahl, K. A. D. (2009). Assessment for reading instruction, second edition. New York: Guilford.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, & Abbott, R. (2006). Contributions of morphology beyond phonology to literacy outcomes of upper elementary and middle school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 134-147.
Nagy, W, Berninger, V, Abbott, R, Vaughan, K, & Vermeulen, K. (2003). Relationship of morphology and other language skills to literacy skills in at-risk second grade readers and at-risk fourth grade writers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 730-742.