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ALLOMORPHALLOMORPH/’aləmɔːf//’aləmɔːf/

Allomorphs are the variations or Allomorphs are the variations or different pronunciations of a different pronunciations of a morpheme. For instance, the morpheme. For instance, the

morpheme plural-s has the standard /s/ morpheme plural-s has the standard /s/ sound in sound in catscats, but in , but in dogsdogs the the

morpheme becomes a /z/ sound .morpheme becomes a /z/ sound .

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There are three allomorphs of the There are three allomorphs of the morpheme -s in English. Compare morpheme -s in English. Compare the sound of the -s in ‘cats', ‘dogs' the sound of the -s in ‘cats', ‘dogs' and ‘foxes'and ‘foxes'

PronunciationPronunciation

Pronunciation:Pronunciation:/ s // s / (as in (as in batsbats), ), Pronunciation:Pronunciation:/ z // z / (as in (as in bugsbugs), and ), and Pronunciation:Pronunciation:/ ɪz // ɪz / (as in (as in busesbuses).).

TYPES OF ALLOMORPHTYPES OF ALLOMORPH

1.ADDITIVE ALLOMORPHS 1.ADDITIVE ALLOMORPHS 2.REPLACIVE ALLOMORPHS 2.REPLACIVE ALLOMORPHS 3.SUBTRACTIVE ALLOMORPHS 3.SUBTRACTIVE ALLOMORPHS 4.SUPPLETIVE ALLOMORPHS 4.SUPPLETIVE ALLOMORPHS 5.ZERO ALLOMORPH 5.ZERO ALLOMORPH 6.NULL ALLOMORPH6.NULL ALLOMORPH

1.ADDITIVE ALLOMORPHS

the  suffix –ed which can be pronounced as either /–t/, or /–d/ or /–Id/:

ask + –ed / a:sk/ + /  –t/, liv(e) + ed /lIv/ + / –d/, need + –ed /ni:d/ + / –Id/.

2.REPLACIVE ALLOMORPHS

the / I / in Drink is replaced by the / æ/ in Drank to signal the simple past.

3.SUBTRACTIVE ALLOMORPHS

the letter A is deleted from zopa to signal that this Russian noun is in the plural form of the possessive case.

4.SUPPLETIVE ALLOMORPHS

Go + the suppletive allomorph of {–D1} = went

Be + the suppletive allomorph of {–S3} = is

Bad + the suppletive allomorph of {–er1} = worse

good + the suppletive allomorph of {–est1} =best.

5.ZERO ALLOMORPH 5.ZERO ALLOMORPH

the past tense form of the past tense form of hurthurt is formed by is formed by adding the zero allomorph of {–D1} to this adding the zero allomorph of {–D1} to this word.word.

HURT HURT HURT HURT

6.NULL ALLOMORPH6.NULL ALLOMORPH

the phrase two fish-Ø which can also the phrase two fish-Ø which can also be two fish-es .be two fish-es .

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In the classroom ,Certain allomorphs In the classroom ,Certain allomorphs are difficult for learners to produce are difficult for learners to produce correctly, or example the allomorphs of correctly, or example the allomorphs of the -ed regular past morpheme, which the -ed regular past morpheme, which learners often do not produce correctly learners often do not produce correctly until higher levels. Recognition until higher levels. Recognition activities such as sorting words into activities such as sorting words into groups according to pronunciation are groups according to pronunciation are useful to raise awareness.useful to raise awareness.