Introduction to English Linguistics

a language that is used for communication by people who do not share a common native language

words that differ in just one sound in the same position

e.g. hit, fit

semantic transparency, meaning of the whole word can be deduced from the meaning of its parts

e.g. teapot

opposite of transparent

e.g. breakfast <to break the fast>

Certain morhpemes are used in one word-formation only {Mon-] in Monday {cran-] in cranberry

Whenevery an element of language contains the meaning of more that one morpheme but cannot be divided into different morphemes on a formal level, it's called portmanteau morpheme.

e.g. took combines {take} and {-D} but cannot be divided into two morphemes on a formal level

productive morphemes:

{-er} for agentive nouns --> singer, dancer, teacher

unproductive/nonproductive morphemes:

{-the} for derivation Adj --> noun     length, width

1. articulatory phonetics: production of sounds, what to do in our mouth

2. acoustic phonetics: transmission of sounds, physica qualities e.g. volume, duration, frequency

3. auditory phonetics: perception of sounds, intake through the ear, processing in the brain