LING 323 Lecture 7: Inflectional Paradigms
15 Feb 2019
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LING 323 Lecture 7 - Inflectional Paradigms
02/15/2019
Assignment 5
● assumption: this is the underlying structure
○ Morphemes can be independent and can attach to roots
● Word syntax is less workable sometimes when it comes to meaning
○ Semantically opaque (e.g. priceless)
○ Always explain when it comes to semantics
Review
● Assumptions of word syntax:
○ Words can be broken down into morphemes, which have structure
○ One morpheme per entry (lexical entries)
○ Word trees demonstrate underlying structure
○ All complex words not listed
○ Does not use any variables (like X)
● Assumptions of word schemas:
○ All complex words listed
○ Relations between words as correspondences
○ Each word a lexical entry
○ Correspondences have similar functionality as word trees in word syntax in terms of
showing structure
● Inflection considered maximally productive
○ I.e. you can always apply present tense to verbs in English
● Prototypical derivation is idiosyncratic
○ Words belonging to the same category do not necessarily undergo the same
derivational processes
● Productive and unproductive exist on a continuum - there’s no set division
● We can fromalize restrictions
○ E.g. restrictions based on stress
■ In the subcategorization column
○ E.g. Spanish diminutives
Practice: Synonymy Blocking
● Musting - cannot have -ing attached because it is a modal
○ Grammatical restriction, not synonymy blocking
● Foots - feet
● Cooker - chef, cook
● Teacheress - teacher
Document Summary
Morphemes can be independent and can attach to roots. Word syntax is less workable sometimes when it comes to meaning. Always explain when it comes to semantics. Words can be broken down into morphemes, which have structure. Does not use any variables (like x) Correspondences have similar functionality as word trees in word syntax in terms of showing structure. I. e. you can always apply present tense to verbs in english. Words belonging to the same category do not necessarily undergo the same derivational processes. Productive and unproductive exist on a continuum - there"s no set division. Musting - cannot have -ing attached because it is a modal. He and him sort of count, but our nouns don"t have nominal differentiation. Animacy: has to with whether a noun denotes a living (or sentient) thing\ Mass nouns cannot have plurals (i. e. rice) Lezgian: phonology determines what inflection class is happening.
