Root, Stem, Base Theoretical Framework
Bauer states that a stem is concern only when dealing with inflectional morphology. Inflectional but not derivational affixes are added to it and it is also
the part of the word form that remains when all the inflectional affixes have been
removed. In the form untouchables the stem is untouchable; although in the form
touched, the stem is touch. In the form wheelchairs, the stem is wheelchair, even though the stem contains two roots 1983:20. In addition, according to Katamba
1993:45 the stem is existence before any inflectionalaffixes i.e. those affixes whose presence is required by the syntax such as markers of singular and plural
number in nouns, tense in verb, etc. have been added. In addition, according to Bauer, the term base is defined as any form to
which affixes of any kind can be added. This mean that any root or any stem can be termed as a base, but the set of bases is not exhausted by the union of the set of
roots and the set of stems: a derivational analyzeable form to which derivational affixes are added can only be referred to as a base. For example, touchable can act
as a base for prefixation to give untouchable. However, in this process touchable could not be referred as a root because it is analyzable in the terms of derivational
morphology, nor as a stem since it is not the adding of inflectional affix which is in question 1983:21. The affixes attached to the a base may be: inflectional
affixes selected for syntactic reasons and derivational affixes which alter the meaning or grammatical category of the base Katamba, 1993:45.