Morphology Typology

  • typology: how many morphemes per word in a given language
  • morphological continuum: analytic-synthetic (morphemes per word) and isolating-fusional (semantic meaning per word)
      * analytic typology: morphologically simple. each word is made up of 1-2 morphemes
        * words already broken down into simplest parts
      * synthetic typology: morphologically complex
        * synthesis of multiple morphemes to create larger words
        * synthetic: one word = 2+ morphemes
        * always have polymorphemic words
        * two types
      * polysynthetic languages: maximal use of synthesis
        * 5+ morphemes per word
        * little distinction between word and sentence level
        * can have long words but also have the ability to make smaller words