| Null Morpheme |
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The null morpheme is represented as the figure zero (''0'') or the "empty set" symbol . The existence of a null morpheme in a Word can be theorized by contrast with other forms of the same word showing alternate morphemes. For example, the singular number of English Noun s is shown by a null morpheme that contrasts with the plural morpheme ''-s''.
Also, a null morpheme marks the present tense of Verb s in all forms but the third person singular:
According to some linguists' view, it's also a null morpheme that turns some English Adjective s into verbs of the kind of ''to clean, to slow, to warm''. Null derivation, also known as Conversion if the Word Class changes, is very common in English. In Language s that show the above distinctions, it's quite common to employ null affixation to (not) mark singular number, present tense and third persons (English is unusual in its marking of the third person singular with a non-zero morpheme, by contrast with a null morpheme for others). It's also frequent to find null affixation for the least- Marked Case s (the Nominative in Nominative-accusative Language s, and the Absolutive in Ergative-absolutive Language s). A basic radical element plus a null morpheme is not the same as an Uninflected Word , though usage may make those equal in practice. In Analytic Language s with little or no Derivation al morphology, such as Mandarin Chinese , it makes no sense to speak of null morphemes or zero derivation. See also |