Trends in modern morphology: a critical study

Abstract

In comparison with the fields of phonology, syntax, and semantics, there is a distinct lack of a comprehensive and critical study of morphological theory, particularly modern trends in this sub-branch of linguistic theory. There is also a marked lack of interest in the underlying methodological and epistemological foundations of morphological theory, though this situation also holds for the three other areas of core-linguistics mentioned above. The present thesis has a modest aim: it is to give a critical and fairly comprehensive study of five modern morphological approaches, with particular reference, whenever possible, to their underlying methodological and epistemological principles. This thesis contains six chapters and a short Introduction. The Introduction deals with the place and state of morphological studies in modern linguistic theory. It also sets out the 'reasons' behind the restriction of the scope of the thesis to the following five approaches: (1) stratificational grammar, (2) transformational generative grammar, (3) word and paradigm I (Robins), (4) word and paradigm II (Matthews), and (5) axiomatic functionalism. A brief explanation of the format of the approach adopted in studying these different trends is also given here. [Only transcribed in part due to abstract length].