Introductory Linguistics Semester 2 2015
Qassim University
Semester II, 1436/2015
College of Arabic and Social Studies
Linguistics ENG 251
Department of English Language and Translation 1436/2015
INTRODUCTORY LINGUISTICS
STUDY TASKS & EXERCISES
Textbook: The Study of Language
Course Professor: Zaidan Ali Jassem
Chapter 5. Word Formation
Task 1
Totally new words can be made in various ways but can they be created from
nothing, from the air? Give one or two examples? Explain why can’t all the
human beings, including the top linguists and scientists and businessmen in
the world, at all times and places make up a single, yes single, word by
themselves, without having learnt it from the others?
Task 2
Linguists trace the history of English, German, French, and European words
back to Latin and Greek and stop there as if they were hanging in the air,
entirely cut off from their neighbours, which is known as etymology. Refute
this hypothesis and show how linguistics (language), phonetics, (phonology,
phoneme), grammar, etymology, for example, come directly from Arabic.
Then read the sentence below
The English language is Anglo-Saxon
Every single word and morpheme in it can be traced back to Arabic. Describe
briefly, stating whether English, on the basis of your results, is an Arabic
dialect.
Task 3.
Through derivation or the use of prefixes and suffixes, we can build new
words by making nouns from verbs, adverbs from adjectives, and so on. All
English, German, and French derivational affixes can be traced back to
Arabic. Show how the suffixes in safety, salvation, activate, cigarette, erudite
directly derive from Arabic, for example.
For information, visit
https://www.academia.edu/2344915/_2013a_The_Arabic_origins_of_deriv
1
ational_morphemes_in_English_German_and_French_A_lexical_root_th
eory_approach
and/or
https://www.academia.edu/2345117/_2013b_The_Arabic_origins_of_nega
tive_particles_in_English_German_and_French_A_lexical_root_theory_a
pproach
Chapter 6. Morphology
Task 4.
Morphemes can be derivational and inflectional. What is the difference?
Task 5
English has SEVEN inflectional morphemes, which are:
i) –s in speaks, cats, cat’s,
ii) -t in learnt (learned) , dreamt (dreamed), wept, slept
iii) -ed in waited, needed,
iv) -en in spoken, (whiten, inherit, ensure/insure, embrace),
v) -ing in speaking,
vi) -er in taller, and
vii) -est in tallest.
All suffixes have Arabic sources or origins. Can you trace any TWO of them
back to Arabic? Give examples.
For information, visit
https://www.academia.edu/2237324/_2012f_The_Arabic_origins_of_num
ber_and_gender_markers_in_English_German_French_and_Latin_A_le
xical_root_theory_approach
2
Semester II, 1436/2015
College of Arabic and Social Studies
Linguistics ENG 251
Department of English Language and Translation 1436/2015
INTRODUCTORY LINGUISTICS
STUDY TASKS & EXERCISES
Textbook: The Study of Language
Course Professor: Zaidan Ali Jassem
Chapter 5. Word Formation
Task 1
Totally new words can be made in various ways but can they be created from
nothing, from the air? Give one or two examples? Explain why can’t all the
human beings, including the top linguists and scientists and businessmen in
the world, at all times and places make up a single, yes single, word by
themselves, without having learnt it from the others?
Task 2
Linguists trace the history of English, German, French, and European words
back to Latin and Greek and stop there as if they were hanging in the air,
entirely cut off from their neighbours, which is known as etymology. Refute
this hypothesis and show how linguistics (language), phonetics, (phonology,
phoneme), grammar, etymology, for example, come directly from Arabic.
Then read the sentence below
The English language is Anglo-Saxon
Every single word and morpheme in it can be traced back to Arabic. Describe
briefly, stating whether English, on the basis of your results, is an Arabic
dialect.
Task 3.
Through derivation or the use of prefixes and suffixes, we can build new
words by making nouns from verbs, adverbs from adjectives, and so on. All
English, German, and French derivational affixes can be traced back to
Arabic. Show how the suffixes in safety, salvation, activate, cigarette, erudite
directly derive from Arabic, for example.
For information, visit
https://www.academia.edu/2344915/_2013a_The_Arabic_origins_of_deriv
1
ational_morphemes_in_English_German_and_French_A_lexical_root_th
eory_approach
and/or
https://www.academia.edu/2345117/_2013b_The_Arabic_origins_of_nega
tive_particles_in_English_German_and_French_A_lexical_root_theory_a
pproach
Chapter 6. Morphology
Task 4.
Morphemes can be derivational and inflectional. What is the difference?
Task 5
English has SEVEN inflectional morphemes, which are:
i) –s in speaks, cats, cat’s,
ii) -t in learnt (learned) , dreamt (dreamed), wept, slept
iii) -ed in waited, needed,
iv) -en in spoken, (whiten, inherit, ensure/insure, embrace),
v) -ing in speaking,
vi) -er in taller, and
vii) -est in tallest.
All suffixes have Arabic sources or origins. Can you trace any TWO of them
back to Arabic? Give examples.
For information, visit
https://www.academia.edu/2237324/_2012f_The_Arabic_origins_of_num
ber_and_gender_markers_in_English_German_French_and_Latin_A_le
xical_root_theory_approach
2