Derivation, Inflection, and the Paradigm in German: The Definition of Basic Concepts in Morphology (Transformational, Declension, Generative, Conjugation, Stem)
Leibiger, Carol Andrea
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/71049
Description
Title
Derivation, Inflection, and the Paradigm in German: The Definition of Basic Concepts in Morphology (Transformational, Declension, Generative, Conjugation, Stem)
Author(s)
Leibiger, Carol Andrea
Issue Date
1985
Department of Study
German
Discipline
German
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Language, Linguistics
Abstract
In an effort to establish definitions of the (heretofore undefined) terms inflection, derivation, paradigm, declension, and conjugation, and to determine their interrelationships within morphology, an analysis of Standard German inflection is undertaken. German nominal, adjectival, and verbal inflectional systems are investigated, and an economical analysis is proposed. German noun declensions are found to consist of two paradigms, one singular and one plural, as defined by the presence of different (unpredictable) stems in each paradigm. The paradigms choose their inflectional endings from one of three nominal paradigms, whose endings identify the case of the noun. Inflectional endings identify the case, number, and gender of adjectives, and strong declension is found to be pro-nominal, while weak declension is nominal. A lexicalist analysis is proposed to deal with the presence of strong declension of attributive adjectives following ein-words with (SLASHCIRC)-inflection. Finally, the four finite combinations of tense and mood of German conjugation are studied; the verb forms for these combinations are found to differ primarily in their stems, which are derivationally produced for each tense and/or mood. All finite verb forms in German take their inflectional affixes from two paradigms whose members identify person and number only.
Derivation is defined as the production of stems, and inflection is the representation of syntactically assigned morphological features. Inflections are grouped into paradigms, which attach to particular groups of stems. Paradigms whose stems share a common lexical meaning and a limited derivational relationship (singular vs. plural in nouns, strong vs. weak and positive degree vs. comparative/superlative degree in adjectives, and present indicative vs. all other finite forms and finite vs. nonfinite forms in verbs) are combined into declensions (for substantivals) and conjugations (for verbs). In the conclusion, the interrelationships between derivation and inflection are explored. In addition, two prevailing theories of morphology (Extended Word-and-Paradigm and Standard Generative Morphology) are evaluated in the light of the results of this investigation, and Standard Generative Morphology is found to have greater potential for further research in morphology.
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