Graduation Term

Fall 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of English

Committee Chair

K. Aaron Smith

Committee Member

Chris C. Palmer

Committee Member

Jesus Olguin Martinez

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on derivational morphology, specifically the historical development and current status of the suffixes -meister and -o in Present-day English. I approach this research from the perspective of language as a complex adaptive system and apply a network model of linguistic storage and processing. I identify semantic domains for each suffix via exemplars which demonstrate the semantic range and variability of -meister and -o. I propose definitions for weight and delexicalization as they pertain to the evolution of these suffixes. Both have gained lexical weight via cumulative semantic associations determined via the network of derivations. This process has contributed to the delexicalization of the suffix -meister from the independent word meister. I apply models of competition and symbiosis to my data on ‑meister and -o and their morphological competitors (master and -ie, respectfully). For the symbiotic model, I utilize the Spectrum of Synonymy developed by Dukic and Palmer (2024). The competition demonstrates which is more frequent and likely to persist, and the symbiosis demonstrates dependent meanings which suggests sustained coexistence. My dissertation shows how ecological models of language change can benefit from a symbiotic model of coexistence alongside a competitive model of rival forms. In Present-day English, the evaluative niche semantics of -meister and -o make these suffixes distinct from their rivals. I conduct a case study on collexemes in -meister and master using a Distinctive Collexeme Analysis and elaborate this method’s utility in the analysis of rival forms and competition in derivational morphology. I also discuss the relevance of degeneracy (i.e., components coexisting simultaneously as distinct and synonymous) as a linguistic concept which fits well into the ecological perspective of language as a complex adaptive system.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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