CUI 613 - Linguistics for ESL Teachers

CUI 613 - Linguistics for ESL Teachers

Mende Language Project - Morphology

Using the table below, answer the following questions:
1. What type of affix occurs?
2. What are the forms and meanings of the affixes?
3. Given "kalin^ga" for snakes, what is the singular indeifinte form?
4. Given "kaliisia" for the snakes, what is the singular definite form?
5. Given "sani" for bottle, what is the plural indefinite form? What is the definite singular form?
6. Given "fande" for shirt, what is the plural indefinite form?
7. Given "fandei" for the shirt, what is the plural definite form?
8. What does "tikpo" mean if _____means canes?
9. Given "tikpoiisia for the canes, what does "tikpoi" mean?
10. Given "ndawa" for leaf, what is the plural indefinite?
11. Given "ndaweisia" for the leaves, what is the singular definite form?
12. What is the order of morphemes in a Mende word?
13. Explain how to generate the correct plural morphemes.
14. Write a grammar.

MENDE	ENGLISH	MENDE	ENGLISH
pele	house	pelen^ga	houses
mita	spon	mitan^ga	spoons
salo	orange	salon^ga	oranges
n^gila	dog	n^gilan^ga	dogs
ndopo	child	ndopon^ga	children
fe	pot	fen^ga	pots
numu	person	numun^ga	persons
n^yaha	wife	n^yahan^ga	wives
koli	leopard	kolin^ga	leopards
hota	stranger	hotan^ga	strangers
kpuko	bed	kpukon^ga	beds
pelei	the house	peleisia	the houses
mitei	the spoon	miteisia	the spoons
salei	the orange	saleisia	the oranges
n^gilei	the dog	n^gileisia	the dogs
ndopei	the child	ndopeisia	the children
fei	the pot	feisia	the pots
numii	the person	numiisia	the persons
n^yahei	the wife	n^yaheisia	the wives
kolii	the leopard	koliisia	the leopards
hotei	the stranger	hoteisia	the strangers
kpukei	the bed	kpukeisia	the beds