In linguistics, what do bound morphemes require?

In linguistics, what do bound morphemes require?

• A. They can stand alone as words
• B. They need to attach to free morphemes
• C. They have no relation to meaning
• D. They are always prefixes

Answer: (B)

Bound morphemes are linguistic units that cannot stand alone as words; instead, they must attach to free morphemes to convey meaning. This dependency is fundamental to their nature. For instance, the suffix "-ed" in the word "walked" cannot be used independently but modifies the free morpheme "walk" to provide information about tense, indicating that the action occurred in the past. This characteristic distinguishes bound morphemes from free morphemes, which can function independently as words. The other options do not accurately represent the properties of bound morphemes, as they can relate to meaning, can be prefixes or suffixes, and specifically cannot stand alone. Thus, the requirement for bound morphemes to attach to free morphemes underscores their integral role in forming more complex words and conveying complete meanings in language.

Bound morphemes are linguistic units that cannot stand alone as words; instead, they must attach to free morphemes to convey meaning. This dependency is fundamental to their nature. For instance, the suffix "-ed" in the word "walked" cannot be used independently but modifies the free morpheme "walk" to provide information about tense, indicating that the action occurred in the past.

This characteristic distinguishes bound morphemes from free morphemes, which can function independently as words. The other options do not accurately represent the properties of bound morphemes, as they can relate to meaning, can be prefixes or suffixes, and specifically cannot stand alone. Thus, the requirement for bound morphemes to attach to free morphemes underscores their integral role in forming more complex words and conveying complete meanings in language.