What Does Morphology Mean?

It is a sub discipline of linguistics. The branch of grammar which studies the structure or forms of words is known as morphology. It refers to the study of morphemes, or the smallest meaningful units of language. Thus it is the study of the use of prefixes, suffixes, and compounding to form words. The main types are morphology is inflectional morphology, derivational morphology, and compounding.

This branch was started by an ancient linguist named Palini who introduced it in Sanskrit and formulated 3,956 rules. The Greeks and Romans also knew about morphology and used it in language. The term itself was coined by August Schleidher, a German linguist in 1859. Thus morphology is thought of as a system of adjustments in the shapes of words that contribute to adjustments in the way speakers intend their utterances to be interpreted.

It is the study of forms and word formation it is concerned with the structure of language

Morphology is basically a field of study that deals with identification, analysis and description of word structures. Words are the smallest units of syntax so in most languages words can be related to other words. Morphology is a part of linguistics that helps in studying this pattern of word formation within and across the languages of the world.

Morphology is a very old field of study. Its history and origin can be traced back to the Indian Linguist Panini. He formulated 3959 rules of Sanskrit morphology in Astadhyayi by using a constituency grammar. Greco-Romans, Arabs were also involved in this field as early as 1200 CE.

The first answer was thorough and helpful, especially to the person who looked it up. Most good Dictionaries will have useful answers to some of these words. For example I have a Webster's College Dictionary sitting beside me. A word like "Morphology" may be complex, but a Dictionary like mine has complex answers. It is extraordinarily helpful to try to have a Dictionary in your home and know how to use it. For younger people who are still in school it will help with homework in many areas. Or in every day activities that a question may come up about which you are simply curious.

We are so used to going to the computer these days for an answer to everything. And I am sure that there is software out there that have good Dictionaries too. But a book that can sit beside you AT the computer or wherever you are studying is really a very useful tool.

Linguistics

It is a level at which the structure of language is analyzed. It deals with the analysis and examination of meaningful units of forms which make up sentences. The smallest meaningful units of forms are called "morphemes" which are either "free" or "bound." A free morpheme can occur on its own whereas bound morphemes do not occur alone. They accompany free morphemes in the formation of words and constituents. The English forms like Book, man, etc., are free morphemes and -ish (as in Bookish) and –ly (as in manly) are bound morphemes. Bound morphemes are of the three types, viz, prefix attached to the initial positions, infix inserted in the middle and suffix attached to the final position of the word. All the three types of bound morphemes are called "affixed."

The variants of a morpheme are called "allomorphs." Their distribution is very clearly specified. Allomorphs are phonologically as well as morphologically condition. When allomorphs are determined by phonological criteria, they are said to be "phonologically conditioned" and when determined by morphological criteria, they are called "morphologically conditioned."

There are two categories of suffixes, viz, "inflection" and "derivation" the suffix once affixed to a root does not allow further affixation of a suffix is called infection or inflectional suffix.