morphemeaffix

Morphemeaffix is a term sometimes used to describe a unit that is simultaneously a morpheme and an affix in linguistic analysis. In most linguistic theories, affixes are bound morphemes whose function is to modify the meaning or grammatical category of a base. Because affixes are by definition bound morphemes, the term can be seen as tautological; however, it is sometimes employed to emphasize that the affix constitutes a discrete morphemic unit with its own semantic or grammatical contribution.

A morphemeaffix may be a bound morpheme such as the English suffix -ed marking past tense, the plural -s, or the prefix un- in unequal; or an infix or circumfix that attaches around a stem. The key property is that the unit has meaning or grammatical function and cannot stand alone as a free word. Some analyses distinguish pure grammatical function morphemes from lexical content morphemes, but both can function as morphemeaffixes.

In practice, most linguists simply refer to these items as affixes or bound morphemes rather than using the term morphemeaffix, because it presupposes a particular framing of the morpheme–affix distinction. The term is most common in pedagogical contexts or discussions about the relationship between morphosyntax and word formation.

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