Stratal Morphology and Postcolonial Identity: A Lexical Phonology Approach to Meatless Days

Abstract

This study applies Lexical Phonology and Morphology (LPM) to Meatless Days (1989) by Sara Suleri in order to investigate how stratal derivational morphology contributes to the construction of postcolonial identity. Drawing upon the theoretical model proposed by Kiparsky (1982) and Mohanan (1986), the research classifies derivational forms into Level 1 and Level 2 strata and examines their stylistic and ideological distribution in the memoir. The findings demonstrate that Level 1 affixes (-ism, -ity, -ion, -ment) dominate passages dealing with nationalism, colonialism, and abstraction, while Level 2 affixes (-hood, -er) cluster around domestic and relational discourse. The study argues that morphological layering mirrors thematic layering, revealing how Suleri encodes ideological intensity within lexical structure. This research extends stylistics into morphological analysis and contributes to postcolonial linguistic criticism.

Keywords : Lexical Phonology, Stratal Morphology, Postcolonial Identity, Derivational Morphology, Pakistani English Literature, Stylistics