Morphology and Semantics Activity

Shannon Ritchie
General Education, Los Angeles Pacific University
ENGL 420, Principles of Language
Professor Gentry
April 10, 2023
Morphology and
Semantics
 Common
Language
amongst children
 Boujee
Boujee - High class, flossin’, ballin’. One
who possesses swag. Elite, rich.

During lunch time I overheard two girls

speaking to each other about another
peer.

“Who does she think she is? She tries to

be all boujee but is far from it”

The attached picture is to show what

teenagers think what a Boujee person
should dress as.
 Bussin’
Bussin’ - What you would say if
something was really good

While having lunch with my

middle school students they
were telling me about the
Domino’s pizza they had for
lunch that day.

“The pizza today was so bussin’”

The attached picture is how my

students felt about their lunch
that day at school.
 Drip
Drip - Very swag and cool,
drip, drippy, and dripping
can be used to describe an
outfit/accessory, person,
song, etc.

During nutrition a group of

boys were all speaking to
one another.

“The movie that we watched

last night was dripping”

This picture reveals what

kids think is drip.
 Extra
Extra - When you are being over the
top, excessive , dramatic, and it’s
mostly over nothing. You are doing
it way to much if someone says you
being extra.

During passing period I witnessed a

boyfriend and girlfriend talking,
then the boyfriend tells his
girlfriend this.

“I did not do anything wrong, you

are being so extra right now, stop it”

The attached picture shows how the

girlfriend thought her boyfriend
was acting that day.
 Salty
Salty - Being salty is when you
are upset over something little

Before school started a group of

girls were talking amongst each
other when one girl tells another.

“What is your problem? Why are

you being so salty to everyone
this morning?”

This picture represents how this

girls friend observed her friends
attitude that morning.
 Shook
Shook - Shocked or
surprised. Can’t believe what
your seeing

During lunch time there was

a fight, after it was over I
heard numerous groups of
kids say the same thing.

“That fight left me shook”

This picture shows a

representation of how my
students looked the day of
the fight that afternoon.
 Basic
Basic - Only interested in
things mainstream, popular,
and trending

While walking around

campus, a girl and boy were
talking in the corner together.

“Why are you so basic, it’s

getting really annoying”

This quote represents how she

wants him to be his own
person, not how everyone else
him wants to be.
 Fire
Fire - Something that is really
good, amazing, crazy (in a good
way)

During one of my intervention

sessions with my students, the
group was talking about their
favorite chips.

“Naw man, Takis are the best

chips, they are fire”

This picture represents the chip

they were talking about.
 Legit
Legit - A shortened for of the word
“legitimate” however, this term is nowhere
near the real meaning of “legitimate, since
it is commonly used to describe things as
cool or extremely awesome.

While speaking to a group of children at

recess time, we were talking about a new
game on Roblox that just came out, all of
the children had the same thing to say
about it.

“That new game is legit”

This picture represents how the children

looked when the children were talking
about Roblox.
 Tea
Tea - The best kind of gossip, typically
shared between friends. It’s a bonding
tool for people of all ages, tea is usually
about someone you know, but can also
extend to celebrities random internet
scandals, etc.

During one of my intervention groups, I

was speaking to one of my students
about his girlfriend when another
student chimed into the conversation
and said:

“Come on I want to know all of the tea”

This picture represents two children

gossiping amongst each other.
Reflection
When I observed the group of teenagers, what I noticed was their constant use of slang and informal language.
Going in, I expected them to use more formal language with some use of slang terms, as they were in a public
setting at school. Although their way of speaking reflected the era and society in which they were raised. It was
interesting to see how they used language to express themselves and connect with their peers. As I interact with
these children on a daily basis, I was surprised by the kind of language they used while communicating with their
peers, particularly the older elementary students. Nevertheless, this incident presented a wonderful opportunity for
me to observe their communication styles and enhance my understanding of their age group.

Teenagers often develop their own set of vocabulary as a way to assert their independence and identity. During
adolescence, individuals go through various developmental stages that include the formation of their own beliefs,
values, and interests. As a result, they may seek to create a shared language among their peers as a way to
distinguish themselves from adults and younger children (Tagliamonte, 2016). This shared language can also serve
as a means of bonding and building social connections, which is important during the teenage years when social
relationships are very important. By creating their own language, teenagers can feel a sense of belonging and
acceptance within their peer group, which can ultimately help to foster positive intra-personal and inter-personal
relationships (Tagliamonte, 2016).
As I think about my own language habits during my teenage years, I can certainly see similarities between my
language use and that of the teens I observed. During my teenage years, I recollect using informal language and
expressions with my peers in an attempt to appear trendy and distinct from those in my immediate social circle.
While observing teenagers and young adolescents, I observed that they use slang words to define themselves and
communicate with their peers.

It is necessary to have a basic understanding of the theoretical definitions of morphology and semantics in order to be
familiar with their fundamental concepts. The field of morphology deals with analyzing the form and construction of
words, whereas semantics focuses on understanding the significance and interrelationships between words (The
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2023). In order to fully understand and apply the intended meaning of a word,
it may be essential to examine the structure and significance of the terms within the language or written material.
This approach can aid in the progress of language analysis and processing technologies and tools by detecting
patterns and trends in language usage.
Language is a dynamic and constantly evolving system that changes over time and in real time. Real-life language
change can be observed through the development of new words, their meaning, and the appearance of new grammatical
structures (Language | Definition, Types, Characteristics, Development, & Facts, 1999). I noticed that real-time language
changes while observing the children and observed in the way people adapt their language to suit different situations
and audiences, as well as in the way they adopt new slang and new forms of communication, such as social media. While
some individuals may not be comfortable with the emerging development of language in teenagers, language change is a
natural and inevitable process that reflects the evolution of culture, technology, and society.

By applying the knowledge of morphology and semantics in my future classroom, I can help my students develop a
deeper understanding of language and improve their vocabulary skills. For example, I might use activities that focus on
root words and affixes to help students break down complex words into their individual parts. Additionally, I could
encourage my students to explore the different meanings of words and how they can be used in different contexts. By
incorporating these concepts into my teaching, I can help my students to become more confident and effective
communicators.
By understanding these two linguistic concepts of morphology and semantics, I have a better understanding of how
language works and how it is organized. This can help me to identify patterns in my students' language use and to
better understand their communication styles. Additionally, by understanding morphology and semantics, I am better
equipped to teach students about the structure of language and to help them to develop their language skills.
References
Language | Definition, Types, Characteristics, Development, & Facts. (1999, July 26). Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/language/Linguistic-change

Tagliamonte, S. A. (2016). Teen Talk: The Language of Adolescents. Cambridge University Press.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, March 16). Morphology | linguistics.

Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/morphology-linguistics

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). semantics summary. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/summary/semantics#:~:text=semantics%2C%20Study%20of%20meaning%2C%20

one%20of%20the%20major,of%20language%20independent%20of%20their%20conditions%20of%20use.
Urban Dictionary: Basic. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Basic

Urban Dictionary: Boujee. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Boujee

Urban Dictionary: bussin. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bussin

Urban Dictionary: drip. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=drip

Urban Dictionary: extra. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=extra

Urban Dictionary: Fire. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Fire

Urban Dictionary: legit. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=legit

Urban Dictionary: salty. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=salty

Urban Dictionary: shook. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shook

Urban Dictionary: tea. (n.d.). In Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tea