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MORPHEME
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:58 am
by Wlyco
How many morphemes are there in the word: NIGHTMARE?
I guess there is only one but, still, am not sure if I am right. Maybe it is that the -mare has some meaning and, therefore, could be categorised as a morpheme?
Thank you everyone,
anyone
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:03 pm
by Jimbobob
If your gut fails you, just look up the etymology.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?sea ... hmode=none
apparently it's two morphemes.
RESEARCH
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:53 pm
by Wlyco
REFER has nothing to do with RE-DOING the action of "fer" so it's a one-morpheme word. How about RESEARCH, how many morphemes are there in the word?
Thank you,
Vladimir
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:15 pm
by Stephen Jones
From the SOED
refer v. Infl. -rr-.LME. [(O)Fr. référer f. L referre carry back, f. as RE- + ferre bear, carry.]
I am not sure however that etymology helps here or in the case of nightmare. As both 'mare' and 'fer' are not meaningful on their own in modern english with the same meaning they had when they formed the verb, then I would say both 'refer' and 'nightmare' are individual morphemes.
On the other hand 'hardware', 'software' and 'spyware' contain two morphemes because 'ware' is productive as a bound morpheme.
Thanks
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:55 pm
by Wlyco
who CAN be sure of this? I have the test in 10 days and cannot find the right info elsewhere. Thank you for your effort. It always surprise me to see how smn I havent met is willing to help.
Vladimir
Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:51 am
by Jimbobob
Stephen Jones wrote:From the SOED
refer v. Infl. -rr-.LME. [(O)Fr. référer f. L referre carry back, f. as RE- + ferre bear, carry.]
I am not sure however that etymology helps here or in the case of nightmare. As both 'mare' and 'fer' are not meaningful on their own in modern english with the same meaning they had when they formed the verb, then I would say both 'refer' and 'nightmare' are individual morphemes.
On the other hand 'hardware', 'software' and 'spyware' contain two morphemes because 'ware' is productive as a bound morpheme.
I'm going to have to go back on what I said here, and agree with Stephen. I searched around for some other instances of usage for -mare as a bound derivational suffix and couldn't find a thing. However, mare DOES show up in dictionary.com as a historical reference to an incubus. So I guess it might all depend on how your teacher plans on grading. I would pick a stance that you feel the most strongly about, and simply defend that stance, but also point out you could see how it could be interpreted otherwise.
As for refer, the -fer morpheme seems to have a few friends in the english language, for example infer, prefer, offer. I think you could also make a case for two morphemes there.