Morphology (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics) 2nd Edition (Paperback)

by Peter H. Matthews (Author) "In the traditional view of language, words are put together to form sentences..." (more)
Key Phrases: established lexemes, potential lexeme, flectional languages, Past Participle, Past Tense, Ancient Greek (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Since its original publication in 1974, Morphology has remained the most lucid demonstration of the limitations of morpheme-based analyses and of the indispensability of Word-and-Paradigm (WP) morphology; in its newly updated form, it stands agaiin as the best available introduction to the fundamental issues in morphological theory, suitable for introductory courses at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level...what is truly impressive is how much of the book has not needed to be changed and remains as compelling and pertinent now as it was two decades ago." Language

Product Description
This is an updated and substantially revised edition of Peter Matthews's well-known Morphology, first published in 1974. It includes chapters on inflectional and lexical morphology, derivational processes and productivity, compounds, paradigms, and much new material on markedness and other aspects of iconicity. As in the first edition, the theoretical discussion is eclectic and critical: its scope ranges from the ancient grammarians to the work of Chomsky and his followers, the disintegration of the classical Chomskyan scheme, and the renewed standing of morphology and historical linguistics in recent years. The examples are drawn from English and other European languages, both ancient and modern. The work will appeal to both specialists in particular languages--it contains much original material--and students of general linguistics. For this new edition much now obsolete discussion has been removed and replaced by discussion of current trends, and the further reading sections have been thoroughly updated.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (October 25, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521422566
• ISBN-13: 978-0521422567
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,033,434 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great update of a classic., November 12, 2003

By	Idiosyncrat "casillas8" (California) - See all my reviews

Peter Matthews' textbook (1st edition from 1974) is definitely THE classic textbook on morphology for its time and context (late 20th century post-Chomsky American linguistics). Unlike other introductory morphology textbooks, it places little emphasis on the latest theories of the month, focusing instead on the major problems faced in describing systematically the structure of words in various languages. It does this through extended, careful examination of concrete language data. Yet at the same time, the book has historically played an important role in the development of morphology in the US during the last 30 years, by articulating the basics of the Word-and-Paradigm approach to morphology as an alternative to the traditional structuralist dichotomy (Item-and-Arrangement vs. Item-and-Process).

This is just the best place for a student of morphology to start.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the best..., January 20, 2008

By	Katelyn R. Schreyer "KT421" (Maryland, US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I hated having to use this text in my morphology class. It does cover all of the major issues and concepts, but does so in roundabout way. I often found the book confusing and had to reference online resources to make sense of it.

If you are going to be teaching a course in morphology, please look for a book that is more student friendly.