Part 2: Issues in morphological theory

 
Chapter 5: Alternations: stems and allomorphy
Chapter 6: Morphological semantics
Chapter 7: Affix ordering: motivation and interpretation
Chapter 8: The place of morphology
Chapter 9: The status of paradigms
 
The second part takes the reader from foundational considerations to the main issues that any theory of morphology must address, and of which linguistic theory more generally must take account. The first two chapters highlight issues surrounding the sign in morphological theory. One deals with phonological representations and their participation in alternations of morphological form; the options for defining such alternations (from the use of indexed stems to the more straightforward appeal to rules of allomorphy) are distinguished and are linked to earlier discussion of the kinds of rules that have been employed in morphological description. The second considers semantic representation, comparing a model-theoretic approach with a more traditional lexical semantic approach. This chapter elucidates the pertinent contributions of Acquaviva (2008), Corbett (1991, 2000), Jackendoff (2010), Lieber (2004), Ojeda (1992) and others, making careful reference to the prior discussion of morphological features in Part One. These chapters are followed by a discussion that explores possible motivations for the ordering of affixes in a morphologically complex expression; integrating the diverse proposals articulated by Manova & Aronoff (2010), Bybee (1985), Hyman (2003), Rice (2006), Stump (2001) and others, the chapter examines pragmatic, semantic, syntactic and phonological determinants of affix ordering as well as purely morphological motivations. Representational issues lead on to a chapter that looks at the place of morphology within the architecture of grammar, comparing various approaches which treat morphology as part of syntax, part of phonology, as an autonomous component or as some combination of these. Part 2 ends with a discussion of paradigms, a structural feature peculiar to morphology and an object of considerable controversy; some theories treat paradigms as purely epiphenomenal while others treat it as an indispensable component of the definition of a language’s morphology. This chapter revisits many of the issues and fundamental ideas discussed earlier, including productivity, the nature of morphological rules, the minimal sign, the motivations of affix ordering and the place of morphology.
 
Jump to:
Part 1: Foundations of morphological theory
Part 3: Morphological principles
Part 4: Morphological frameworks
Part 5: The role of morphology in theories of phonology and syntax
Part 6: Domains for the evaluation of morphological theories
Appendix: Sources and resources for morphological research