Glossary: morphology and phonology

An articulation involving the tip of the tongue.

See ablaut.

A valence-changing operation that creates a new object argument.

A consonant sound made with a constriction between two articulators which is not narrow enough to cause air turbulence (=friction). [w l j] are examples of approximants.

A theoretical segment which is only partially specified for phonetic properties, omitting some properties such as voicing or nasality, which may be determined by rule.

A semantic role that is assigned to a noun by the verb.

A constriction in he vocal tract.

The parts of the vocal tract involved in the production of speech sounds (the lips, teeth, tongue, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, pharyngeal wall and vocal folds).

Two small cone-shaped cartilages located on the upper surface of the cricoid cartilage. The vocal folds are attached at the back of the arytenoids and the positioning of the cartilages is largely responsible for the position and the tension of the vocal folds.

An inflectional category that encodes the relationship of an event or action to the passage of time, especially in reference to its duration, completion, or repetition. For example, the perfect is a verb form that expresses an action or state that has ceased or been completed at the time of speaking or a time spoken of.