What they are:
* Meaningful Units: Morphemes carry meaning, even if they don't always stand alone as words.
* Cannot be Broken Down Further: You can't break a morpheme into smaller units that still carry meaning.
* Can be Single Words or Parts of Words: Some morphemes are whole words (e.g., "cat," "run"), while others are parts of words (e.g., the "-ing" in "running").
Types of Morphemes:
* Free Morphemes: Can stand alone as words. Examples: "dog," "eat," "happy."
* Bound Morphemes: Cannot stand alone as words and must be attached to other morphemes. They are usually prefixes, suffixes, or inflections. Examples:
* Prefixes: "un-" (unhappy), "re-" (rewrite)
* Suffixes: "-ing" (running), "-er" (teacher), "-ly" (quickly)
* Inflections: "-s" (cats), "-ed" (walked)
Examples:
* "Unbreakable": Contains three morphemes: "un-" (prefix, meaning "not"), "break" (free morpheme, meaning "to separate"), "-able" (suffix, meaning "capable of").
* "Dogs": Contains two morphemes: "dog" (free morpheme, meaning "a canine") and "-s" (inflection, indicating plural).
Why they are important:
* Understanding Word Structure: Morphemes help us understand how words are built and how they relate to other words.
* Learning New Words: Knowing morphemes can help us figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words.
* Analyzing Language: Morphemes are essential for studying and analyzing languages, including their history and evolution.
In short, morphemes are the fundamental units of meaning that make up words. Understanding them is crucial for comprehending the structure and meaning of language.