1. Zero Morpheme:
* This refers to the absence of a morphological marker that is expected based on the rules of the language.
* For example, in English, the plural form of "sheep" is "sheep," without any additional suffix. This is a zero plural because the expected "s" is absent.
* Similarly, the past tense of "cut" is "cut," with no suffix. This is a zero past tense.
* Zero morphemes are important in understanding how languages express grammatical concepts.
2. Null Morpheme:
* This is a theoretical concept in morphology, where a null morpheme is hypothesized to exist, even though it isn't physically present in the word.
* This concept is used to explain morphological alternations where the form of a word changes, but the difference in meaning is not marked by a visible morpheme.
* For example, the change from "sing" to "sang" is explained by a null morpheme marking past tense in the second form, even though there is no overt suffix.
* This interpretation is more abstract and theoretical compared to the "zero morpheme."
3. Zero Allomorphs:
* This refers to a specific case where an allomorph, a variant form of a morpheme, is represented by nothing.
* For instance, the English plural morpheme can be "-s" (cats), "-es" (boxes), or zero (sheep). The absence of a plural marker in "sheep" is considered a zero allomorph of the plural morpheme.
It's essential to remember that "zero element" is a somewhat ambiguous term in morphology. It's important to consider the context in which it is used to understand the specific meaning intended.
In summary, the concept of "zero element" in morphology represents the absence of a visible morphological marker that would be expected based on the rules of a language. This absence can be interpreted as a zero morpheme, a null morpheme, or a zero allomorph, each having its own nuances and implications.