LINGUIST List 21.4248 Tue Oct 26 2010 Disc: Morphemes in Polysynthetic Languages Editor for this issue: Elyssa Winzeler <elyssalinguistlist.org> To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     Kela Ruuskanen , Morphemes in Polysynthetic Languages Message 1: Morphemes in Polysynthetic Languages Date: 20-Oct-2010 From: Kela Ruuskanen <kelakolumbus.fi> Subject: Morphemes in Polysynthetic Languages E-mail this message to a friend In a polysynthetic language, can a morpheme have a meaning in and of itself without being used in an utterance? Can you please provide an example of such a morpheme, and the name of the language? I have been told that such a morpheme does not exist, that an 'utterance' in a polysynthetic language must consist of a complete sentence. Is this the case? This leads to a further question: how can you have morpheme to morpheme translating dictionaries for a polysynthetic language, if no morpheme has meaning alone? Are translating 'glosses' of phrases the only reference possible for translators? Thanks very much for your input. Kela Linguistic Field(s): Morphology                             Typology Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 26-Oct-2010       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.