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Review of Laurel Bauer, Introducing Linguistic Morphology

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Vol 2 1989
This chapter is in the book Vol 2 1989
BOOK REVIEWS Laurie Bauer, Introducing Linguistic Morphology. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univer-sity Press, 1988, ix+272 pp. £27.50 1. CONTENT AND STRUCTURE Bauer's Introducing Linguistic Morphology consists of three parts of varying length: 'Fundamentals' has about 40 pages, 'Elaboration' 60 and 'Issues' 100. Part One begins with some brief remarks on the object of morphology. Then Chapter 2 introduces basic units (word-form, grammatical word and lexeme; morph, morpheme and allomorph; root, base, inflectional affix and derivational affix). Under the heading 'The Morphological Structure of Words', Bauer then gives a survey of morphological processes (e.g. various kinds of affixation, reduplication, modification), including such types of word-formation as composi-tion, blending and acronymy. The problems of zero morphs, unique morphs and suppletion are also addressed. Some of the issues mentioned in the first part are explored in greater depth in Part Two. Chapter 4 returns to the question of how to define the word and considers the major phonological and distributional criteria. The notion of productivity is elaborated in Chapter 5, while Chapter 6 examines the differen-ces between inflection and derivation in more detail. The chapter on 'The Domain of Morphology' lists resemblances between the various morphological processes and comments on the position of morphology in relation to phonology and syntax. The first chapter of Part Three resembles the preceding ones: it deals with refinements in the definition of allomorphy and with problems of segmentation. The following four chapters are devoted to current trends in morphological research (Lexicalist Morphology, Word-and-Paradigm Morphology, morphologi-cal typology and universals, Natural Morphology). In the concluding Chapter 13 ('Is a Synthesis Possible?'), Bauer tries to combine these approaches, using a fragment of German noun morphology as an example. Each of the chapters ends with a section 'References and further reading' which often also contains additional comments on theoretical and terminological matters or on the interpretation of data. There are no exercises within the chapters, but a feedback test in Appendix A allows the student to check his knowledge of terms introduced in Chapter 2. Many of the study questions in Appendix B concern problems of segmentation, others encourage the student to discuss statements in the book or in other publications; answers are not sug-gested. A third appendix provides definitions of numerous terms used in the text, frequently with an example. In addition, the book has quite a good index of subjects, languages and persons.
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

BOOK REVIEWS Laurie Bauer, Introducing Linguistic Morphology. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univer-sity Press, 1988, ix+272 pp. £27.50 1. CONTENT AND STRUCTURE Bauer's Introducing Linguistic Morphology consists of three parts of varying length: 'Fundamentals' has about 40 pages, 'Elaboration' 60 and 'Issues' 100. Part One begins with some brief remarks on the object of morphology. Then Chapter 2 introduces basic units (word-form, grammatical word and lexeme; morph, morpheme and allomorph; root, base, inflectional affix and derivational affix). Under the heading 'The Morphological Structure of Words', Bauer then gives a survey of morphological processes (e.g. various kinds of affixation, reduplication, modification), including such types of word-formation as composi-tion, blending and acronymy. The problems of zero morphs, unique morphs and suppletion are also addressed. Some of the issues mentioned in the first part are explored in greater depth in Part Two. Chapter 4 returns to the question of how to define the word and considers the major phonological and distributional criteria. The notion of productivity is elaborated in Chapter 5, while Chapter 6 examines the differen-ces between inflection and derivation in more detail. The chapter on 'The Domain of Morphology' lists resemblances between the various morphological processes and comments on the position of morphology in relation to phonology and syntax. The first chapter of Part Three resembles the preceding ones: it deals with refinements in the definition of allomorphy and with problems of segmentation. The following four chapters are devoted to current trends in morphological research (Lexicalist Morphology, Word-and-Paradigm Morphology, morphologi-cal typology and universals, Natural Morphology). In the concluding Chapter 13 ('Is a Synthesis Possible?'), Bauer tries to combine these approaches, using a fragment of German noun morphology as an example. Each of the chapters ends with a section 'References and further reading' which often also contains additional comments on theoretical and terminological matters or on the interpretation of data. There are no exercises within the chapters, but a feedback test in Appendix A allows the student to check his knowledge of terms introduced in Chapter 2. Many of the study questions in Appendix B concern problems of segmentation, others encourage the student to discuss statements in the book or in other publications; answers are not sug-gested. A third appendix provides definitions of numerous terms used in the text, frequently with an example. In addition, the book has quite a good index of subjects, languages and persons.
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. ERRATUM II
  3. Table of Contents VII
  4. Lexicalism and the distribution of reflexives 1
  5. Complex verbs and the theory of level ordering 21
  6. Form, structure and meaning of constructed words in an associative and stratified lexical component 31
  7. Morphology in the Mental Lexicon: A New Look at Analogy 55
  8. The place of morphology in the grammar: Verb-Verb compounds in Japanese 73
  9. On percolation 95
  10. Quicker, more quickly, *quicklier 139
  11. Book Reviews
  12. Review of Laurel Bauer, Introducing Linguistic Morphology 175
  13. Review of Sabine de Knop, Metaphorische Komposita in Zeitungsüberschriften 184
  14. Review of Andrew Carstairs, Allomorphy in Inflexion 205
  15. Review of Danielle Corbin, Morphologie dérivationelle et structuration du lexique 228
  16. Book Notices by Willem Adelaar, Geert Booij, Gerrit Dimmendaal and Hans Luschütsky 247
  17. Publications received 263
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9783112420560-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. ERRATUM II
  3. Table of Contents VII
  4. Lexicalism and the distribution of reflexives 1
  5. Complex verbs and the theory of level ordering 21
  6. Form, structure and meaning of constructed words in an associative and stratified lexical component 31
  7. Morphology in the Mental Lexicon: A New Look at Analogy 55
  8. The place of morphology in the grammar: Verb-Verb compounds in Japanese 73
  9. On percolation 95
  10. Quicker, more quickly, *quicklier 139
  11. Book Reviews
  12. Review of Laurel Bauer, Introducing Linguistic Morphology 175
  13. Review of Sabine de Knop, Metaphorische Komposita in Zeitungsüberschriften 184
  14. Review of Andrew Carstairs, Allomorphy in Inflexion 205
  15. Review of Danielle Corbin, Morphologie dérivationelle et structuration du lexique 228
  16. Book Notices by Willem Adelaar, Geert Booij, Gerrit Dimmendaal and Hans Luschütsky 247
  17. Publications received 263
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