Morphomic splits

Abstract

Lexemes may be internally consistent, or they may be split into segments. Such splits may be ‘motivated’, that is, they may correspond to morphosemantic, morphosyntactic, or phonological specifications. We recognize this motivation if the cells form a natural class, or if the specification is referred to by a non-morphological rule (typically, the two diagnostics coincide). Alternatively the split may lack such motivation, in which case it is a morphomic split. Our main question is how do morphomic splits differ from motivated splits? Four types of difference are reviewed, varying from conjectures to the well-documented: first, the nesting constraint (it is suggested that a morphomic split can be nested under a motivated one, but not vice versa); second, interaction with semantic splits; third, interaction with optionality; and fourth, inward sensitivity versus external relevance.

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