Introduction to Morphology

This course will offer an introduction to morphological theory and morphological analysis. Through data exploration students will develop an understanding of the rich diversity of morphological patterns found in the world's languages, and what is at stake in terms of a theory of word structure. Students will also be introduced to and practice using the tools and analytic techniques of morphological research. Questions to be explored include: What kinds of meanings and grammatical functions are expressed via morphology in the world’s languages? And how are those meanings and functions mapped to morphophonological form? What are the basic units of the lexicon -- words, morphemes, both? What makes morphological structures productive or unproductive? Does morphology have its own principles of organization, separate from phonology and syntax? How are inflected and derivational forms related to each other? The work of this class will consist of reading, data analysis exercises, and class discussion.