English 311/Structure of English

More on word structure

Words are hierarchically structured.

When you have a word with two morphemes, its easy to determine what the structure is.

When you have a word with three or more morphemes, it can get a little more complex.

What kinds of words can the prefix re- be attached to? What does this show about the structure of the word
reusable?

The prefix re- attaches to verbs. So, this shows that this prefix must be attached
directly to the root use before it becomes an adjective via the suffixation of
reusable
able. If useable came together first, then you couldnt add re- because useable is
an adjective, and re- only attaches to verbs.

What about unusable? Is unuse a word? What does this show us about the structure of this word?

This ones easy because useable is an English word and unuse is not. We can
unusable all agree that the adjective unusable means not able to be used; i.e., the
negative form of useable. This prefix un- attaches to adjectives, not verbs.

Ambiguity

Ok, so English really has two prefixes with the form un-. One attaches to adjectives to form the negated form
of that adjective (e.g., in unusable, above). Theres another prefix un- that attaches to verbs. This can create
some ambiguous words. So, as well see in a few weeks when we talk about ambiguous sentences, this
ambiguity shows that structure is more than just linear the actual hierarchical structure of the words is
responsible for the ambiguity.

This is the un- that attaches to

This is the un- that
adjectives to make the negative form.
attaches to verbs. So, un-
lock is a verb, so it needs to join with
attaches to the verb lock,
the suffix able to form an adjective
giving unlock. Adding
before the negative from can be
the suffix able gives an
created through the prefixation of
adjective meaning able
un-. This gives the meaning not
to be unlocked
lockable
unlockable unlockable
able to be unlocked not able to be locked