What is the main focus of morphology in linguistics?

• A. The rules of conversation
• B. The structure and formation of words
• C. The sound combinations in speech
• D. The meanings derived from context

Answer: (B)

The main focus of morphology in linguistics is indeed the structure and formation of words. Morphology studies how words are formed from smaller units called morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful components of language. This includes prefixes, suffixes, roots, and how these elements combine to create new words or alter the meaning of existing ones.

Understanding morphology allows linguists to analyze the rules and patterns that govern the formation of words in different languages. For instance, it provides insights into inflection, which is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case.

In contrast, the other options pertain to different aspects of linguistics. The rules of conversation relate more to pragmatics and discourse analysis, which deal with the use of language in social contexts. Sound combinations fall under phonetics and phonology, which focus on the sounds of speech rather than word formation. Lastly, meanings derived from context is a central concern of semantics and pragmatics, focusing on how meaning is constructed and understood within particular contexts and situations.