Differentiate between concatenative morphology and non-concatinative morphology?

Concatenative morphology involves the combination of morphemes through simple concatenation, where morphemes are added together in a linear sequence to form words. This process typically involves affixation, where prefixes or suffixes are added to a base morpheme to create a new word. For example, in English, the word "unhappiness" is formed by adding the prefix "un-" to the base morpheme "happy."

Non-concatenative morphology, on the other hand, involves the modification of a base morpheme through internal changes, such as vowel or consonant alternations, reduplication, or ablaut. This process does not involve simple concatenation of morphemes in a linear sequence. For example, in Arabic, the word "ktb" (meaning "write") can be transformed into "kataba" (meaning "he wrote") through a change in the internal structure of the word.

In summary, concatenative morphology involves the linear combination of morphemes through affixation, while non-concatenative morphology involves the modification of a base morpheme through internal changes.

Concatenative Morphology

- Definition: Words are formed by connecting morphemes in a linear sequence.
- Characteristics:
- Morphemes are clearly identifiable units with distinct boundaries.
- Morphological changes are made by adding or removing morphemes.
- Adjacency of morphemes is essential for word formation.
- Examples:
- English: "cat" (base) + "-s" (plural) = "cats"
- Turkish: "ev" (house) + "-ler" (plural) = "evler"

Non-Concatenative Morphology

- Definition: Words are formed through processes other than linear concatenation of morphemes.
- Characteristics:
- Morphemes may be fused or integrated into the root.
- Morphological changes may involve internal alterations, such as vowel changes or reduplication.
- Adjacency of morphemes is not always necessary for word formation.
- Types:
- Fusional: Morphemes are fused together, making it difficult to separate them.
- Example: Arabic: "kataba" (he wrote) has a different ending for each subject.
- Internal inflection: Morphological changes occur within the root word through alterations like vowel changes or consonant shifts.
- Example: Hebrew: "sfarim" (books) has a different vowel pattern from "sefer" (book).
- Reduplication: Meaning is conveyed by repeating all or part of the root word.
- Example: Malay: "cepat-cepat" (quickly)

Key Differences

| Feature | Concatenative Morphology | Non-Concatenative Morphology |
|---|---|---|
| Morpheme connection | Linear sequence | Non-linear or integrated |
| Morphological changes | Morpheme addition/removal | Internal alterations, fusion |
| Morpheme adjacency | Essential | Not always necessary |
| Examples | English, Turkish | Arabic, Hebrew, Malay |