Phonology and morphology glossary

Similar to a preposition, except that postpositions are syntactically positioned after noun phrases rather than before them.

A form that could be a word but is not attested. Also possible word.

Study of language within a social and discourse context.

See affix.

Any member of a class of words found in many languages that are used before nouns, pronouns, or other substantives to form phrases functioning as modifiers of verbs, nouns, or adjectives, and that typically express a spatial, temporal, or other relationship, as English in, on, by, to, since.

One of the values of tense (morphology), with the meaning ‘occurring simultaneously with the moment of speech’.

Affixes that interact phonologically with their stem, e.g., causing a stress shift in the stem. They typically occur closer to the root than secondary affixes.

See stress.

A phonological feature having only one value: either the feature is present, or not present. Also called unary. Contrasts with binary or multivalued.

A clitic that attaches to the front of its host.