Difference between bound morpheme and allomorph

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Annotation: This text introduces and explores the fundamental linguistic concepts of bound morphemes and allomorphs within the field of morphology, the study of word formation and structure. Bound morphemes are identified as the essential building blocks of words that cannot stand alone and must attach to other morphemes to convey meaning. Examples include affixes like prefixes and suffixes, which alter or add meaning to root words. In contrast, allomorphs are variations of a single morpheme that differ in pronunciation or spelling but serve the same grammatical function, such as the plural endings [-s], [-z], and [-ɪz] in English. The text highlights how these concepts underscore the structure and adaptability of human language, revealing how morphemes balance consistency with flexibility across different phonological and grammatical contexts. This foundational knowledge is crucial for linguistics, language teaching, translation, and related fields.