Department of English Studies Semester 6

Prof: TOURABI

MORPHOPHONEMICS

caps [ khæps] cabs [ khæbz] Lies [laiz] buses [ bᴧsəz ]

cats [khæts] cads [khædz] ties [taiz] matches [mᴧʧəz]
backs [bæks] bags [ bægz ] cows [khauz] bushes [ buʃəz]
cuffs [ khᴧfs ] loves [lɔvz] laws [lɔ:z] badges [ bæʤəz ]

The rule that determines the phonetic form of the plural morpheme has traditionally
been called a MORPHOPHONEMIC RULE because its application is determined by both the
morphology and the phonology . When a morpheme has alternate phonetic forms, these forms
are called allomorphs [+s], [ + z ] , and [+əz ]would be allomorphs of the regular plural
morpheme which determined by a rule.
All the nouns in column one end in a voiced non-sibilant sounds and to form the plural
we add the voiced [+z]. In column two, the nouns end in voiceless non-sibilant sounds and we
add the voiceless [+z] to form the plural. The nouns in column three end in vowels and we add
the sound [+z]. The nouns in column four end in both voiced and voiceless sibilants which form
their plurals with an insertion of a schwa followed by [+z].

The Regular plural Rule:

a. Insert a schwa before the plural morpheme when the regular noun ends in a sibilant.
b. change the voiced /+z/ (morpheme) to the voiceless [+s] (=allomorph)when it is preceded by
a voiceless sound.
c. If neither a) nor b) is applied then [+z ] will be realized as [+z].

The Application of the Rule.

bus+plural cat+plural bag+plural

UR / bᴧs+z / / khæt+z/ / bæg+z /
rule (a) ….. ə ……………… non-applicable ……………. non-applicable
rule (b) .. non-applicable ……… +s …………………….. non-applicable
PR [bᴧsəz] [khæts] [bægz]

UR: Underlying representation – PR: Phonetic representation

The rule of the formation of the past tense of regular verbs shows similarity to the
regular plural rule. The productive regular past tense morpheme /+d/has three allomorphs
depending on the final phoneme of the verb to which it is attached.

The rule is as follows:

a. Insert a schwa before the past tense morpheme when the final phoneme of the verb ends in
/t, d / (alveolar stop).
b. Change the voiced /+d / to the voiceless [+t] when it is preceded by a voiceless consonant other
than /t/.
c. / +d/ is realized as [+d] if neither a. nor b. is applied.

a. grabbed [græbd] c. walked [wɔ:kt]

loved [lᴧvd] kissed [ kist ]
b. tied [ taid ] d. guided [ gaidəd ]
bowed [ baud ] stated [ steitəd ]

SEQUENTIAL CONSTRAINTS:

I. a. ample [æmpl] b. handle [ hændl ] c. angle[ æŋgl ]

Il.. a. [ im+]: impossible, imbalance

b. [ in+]:intolerant, insufficient, inactive, inhibit

c. [ iŋ+] : incomplete, inglorious.

/n/ will assimilate to the following consonant in terms of place of articulation. Its place of articulation
will be changed to the place of articulation of the following consonants. It is a feature changing rule.
In English, there is a sequential constraint that states that only homorganic nasal + non-nasal
consonant may occur within words within morphemes. This sequential constraint is a phonological
rule since it is applied between phonemes within a single word, example 1. but it is a
morphophonemic rule; it can be applied between morphemes as well. The negative morpheme
/in+/ has three allomorphs depending on the initial consonants of the following morpheme. Since
the allomorph [+n]occurs before vowels [ in+æktiv ] which unlike the consonants, have no place of
articulation to which the nasal consonants may be assimilated, we shall choose /in+/ as the underlying
representation and the rule of nasal assimilation will assimilate in to the following consonants by
changing the features of/n/.

UR / in+tɔlɛrənt / / in+pɔsibl/ / in+kɔmpli:t / / in+æktiv /

Nasal assimilation ………..NA……………n………………ŋ ……………. NA …

Vowel assimilation …………… ῖ ………………. ῖ ………………… ῖ ………………… ῖ …..

PR [ ῖn+tɔlɛrənt] [ ῖm+pɔsibl ] [ ῖŋ+kɔmpli:t ] [ ῖn+æktiv ]

Key words = explanations

UR = underlying representation
PR = Phonetic representation
NA = Non-applicable, the rule cannot be applied