Morphology and Syntax
Morphology is the branch of linguistics that studies the structure of words. In English and many other languages, many words can be broken down into parts. For example: unhappiness / un-happi-ness. The smallest unit which has a meaning or grammatical function that words can be broken down into are known as morphemes. So, “un” is a morpheme. Morphemes are the smallest unit of linguistic meaning or function. We combine morphemes to create words. For example: consider the words sheep and dog. Each one of these words is a single morpheme but we can put them together and create another word which is sheepdog. We can then say that this new word consists of 2 different morphemes. We can also take it to another level and pluralize it which gives us “sheepdogs”. Now this word contains 3 different morphemes because the “s” is considered a morpheme as well.
One of the most productive ways to form new words is through affixation, which is forming new words by the combination of bound affixes and free morphemes. There are three types of affixation:
Prefixation: where an affix is placed before the base of the word.
Suffixation: where an affix is placed after the base of the word.
Infixation: where an affix is placed within a stem; mothers-in-law and (abso-blooming-lutely)
While English uses primarily prefixation and suffixation, many other languages use infixes.
Inflection; combination of a word stem with a grammatical morpheme
-same word class, e.g. clean (verb), clean-ing (verb)
Derivation; combination of a word stem with a grammatical morpheme
-Yields different word class, e.g. clean (verb), clean-ing (noun)
Compounding; combination of multiple word stems (cow+boy= cowboy).
Teaching Phonology and Syntax to ELLs:
English Language Learners have unique challenges to learn content in new language. We must use strategies for developing vocabulary to promote acquisition of academic English.T here are several recommended classroom activities that will help with the learning of morphology. Specifically these activities relate to the structural components of words plus relationships among words. Many of these issues related to word-formation cause difficulties for ELLs.
Morphology is helpful for all students because it provides an entry point into language and has the potential to give students access to words that they would not know as a whole. When students encounter an unknown word in text, they can use words and parts of words that they know to figure out what the unknown word means. Examples: When you see or hear the prefix re- it most likely means to do again. Therefore, it is crucial to teach students prefixes,suffixes,root words, word derivation and all the elements of morphology to give them a leg up so ELL students will not lag behind than their English speaking classmates.
Educators suggest that general educators, special educators, and speech language pathologists all share the responsibility for teaching the following:
_Explicit instruction of vocabularies. Explicit instruction will teach students the definitions of words in student friendly language. When using explicit instruction to teach vocabulary, teachers have to remember to make sure the definitions are understandable to students.
_We can breakdown words and find not only their roots or stems but also other morphemes that help students form new words.The word disorganization is a good example. We can breakdown it into dis-organ-iz-ation.
For more information on morphology and syntax go to:
Vocabulogic: Bridging the Verbal Divide
The Importance of Teacher Knowledge of First Language
Given that English morphological processes differ from other languages in a variety of ways, it is imperative that teachers acquire morphological information about the home languages of their students. When providing morphological instruction for English learners, teachers must be explicit and clear about how morphemes function and behave in English. Understandings about morphology that may be common knowledge for English native students may be new to or confusing for linguistically diverse students. Teachers can support English learners by providing comprehensible demonstrations of the ways in which English is different from the students’ home languages.
Syntax is most related to grammar, sentences and their structure.
The English language has a certain word order we have to follow if we want to create useful language. The basic sentence in English consists of subject, verb, and object (SVO) as is represented in this simple sentence: I eat breakfast. This sentence is grammatically correct because the words are presented in the right order.
English has nouns, verbs, adjective, and adverbs. We also have articles (determiners, the, a, an), prepositions (in, on, up, near, at, …), conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.), and pronouns . Then we have phrasal categories which include noun phrases (the smart girl…), verb phrases, and prepositional phrases (… in the park). Often times, a sentence will include many of these different parts of speech. (Example: The teacher taught a new lesson on Tuesday).
This component of language is important because the basic sentence structure becomes a part of a complex sentence which has to be formed correctly in order to make sense.
A sentence can be complex in English which results in confusion if ELLs are still in the beginning stages of language acquisition. The confusion could also be caused by ambiguity of sentences created by native speakers of English which could have more than one meaning.
We must simplify sentences whenever possible. We can use complex sentences but we encouraged to follow them with simplified language particularly when they relate to key topics.
Many languages follow different sentence structures. In English we have SVO but some other languages follow Verb Subject Object (VSO) and so on. This means that we need to be aware of the time it will take a learner to adapt to following a new word order in the new language. And to be prepared to work with these learners until they get used to the new sentence structure in English.
The English language has a certain word order we have to follow if we want to create useful language. The basic sentence in English consists of subject, verb, and object (SVO) as is represented in this simple sentence: I eat breakfast. This sentence is grammatically correct because the words are presented in the right order.
English has nouns, verbs, adjective, and adverbs. We also have articles (determiners, the, a, an), prepositions (in, on, up, near, at, …), conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.), and pronouns . Then we have phrasal categories which include noun phrases (the smart girl…), verb phrases, and prepositional phrases (… in the park). Often times, a sentence will include many of these different parts of speech. (Example: The teacher taught a new lesson on Tuesday).
This component of language is important because the basic sentence structure becomes a part of a complex sentence which has to be formed correctly in order to make sense.
A sentence can be complex in English which results in confusion if ELLs are still in the beginning stages of language acquisition. The confusion could also be caused by ambiguity of sentences created by native speakers of English which could have more than one meaning.
We must simplify sentences whenever possible. We can use complex sentences but we encouraged to follow them with simplified language particularly when they relate to key topics.
Many languages follow different sentence structures. In English we have SVO but some other languages follow Verb Subject Object (VSO) and so on. This means that we need to be aware of the time it will take a learner to adapt to following a new word order in the new language. And to be prepared to work with these learners until they get used to the new sentence structure in English.
The difference between syntax and morphology is that syntax deals with the structure of sentences and morphology deals with the structure of words. In any language, rules exist that guide the way that words are put together. These are the rules of syntax. Morphology is the study of how words are formed and understood within a language. Both syntax and morphology are related to how meaning is produced with language. The order in which words are put together has a bearing on the meaning of a sentence as a whole. Syntax rules must be followed in order for a sentence to be grammatically correct and to make sense to speakers of a language. It is what dictates things such as the order of the subject and verb, and how adjectives and adverbs are used. This component of language focuses on the internal structure of words.
syntax_1.ppt | |
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