What does morphology examine in language?

Morphology is a branch of linguistics that focuses on the study of the smallest meaningful units of language, known as morphemes. These units can be simple words, prefixes, or suffixes that contribute to the overall meaning of a word. For example, in the word "unhappiness," "un-", "happy," and "-ness" are all morphemes that each play a role in defining the meaning of the entire word. Understanding morphology is essential for analyzing how words are formed, how they relate to one another, and how their meanings can change based on the addition or alteration of these morphemes.

Other areas, such as examining the structure of entire sentences, the evolution of language over time, or the phonetic sounds of words, fall under different linguistic domains such as syntax, historical linguistics, and phonetics, respectively. Recognizing the distinct focus of morphology helps to clarify its specific role in the study of language.