Morphological typology
Morphological typology is a way that experts study the way that different languages use different parts of words to mean different things.
For example, some languages use prefixes (parts at the beginning of words) to change the meaning of a word, like the way we add "un-" to "happy" to make "unhappy". Other languages use suffixes (parts at the end of words) to change the meaning, like the way "happi-ness" changes "happy" to mean the state of being happy.
Some languages might even combine both prefixes and suffixes to create new meanings, kind of like how we build with LEGOs by putting different pieces together. And some languages might not use any prefixes or suffixes at all and instead rely on other strategies to form different meanings.
By studying all these different ways that languages use parts of words to create new meanings, morphological typology helps linguists understand how languages work and how they differ from one another.
For example, some languages use prefixes (parts at the beginning of words) to change the meaning of a word, like the way we add "un-" to "happy" to make "unhappy". Other languages use suffixes (parts at the end of words) to change the meaning, like the way "happi-ness" changes "happy" to mean the state of being happy.
Some languages might even combine both prefixes and suffixes to create new meanings, kind of like how we build with LEGOs by putting different pieces together. And some languages might not use any prefixes or suffixes at all and instead rely on other strategies to form different meanings.
By studying all these different ways that languages use parts of words to create new meanings, morphological typology helps linguists understand how languages work and how they differ from one another.