This book aims to give an indication of the extent of derivational morphology in English; of how much immanent, internal structure must be presumed for words -- even apparently simplex ones. This is done by showing that three (morpho-)phonological processes which tend to hide surface sound-meaning relationships must be taken into account when constructing a synchronic grammar of Modern English: ablaut, obstruent shift, and vowel shift.
Description:
This book aims to give an indication of the extent of derivational morphology in English; of how much immanent, internal structure must be presumed for words -- even apparently simplex ones. This is done by showing that three (morpho-)phonological processes which tend to hide surface sound-meaning relationships must be taken into account when constructing a synchronic grammar of Modern English: ablaut, obstruent shift, and vowel shift.