What aspect of language does morphology specifically examine?

Morphology specifically examines the rules that govern word formation within a language. This field of study focuses on the structure of words and how they are built from smaller units known as morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful units in a language. By analyzing how morphemes combine to form words, morphology provides insights into the construction of various word forms, including prefixes, suffixes, and root words. This understanding is essential for grasping how meanings change based on different combinations and arrangements of these morphemes, thus playing a crucial role in understanding the overall structure of a language.

The other options relate to different aspects of linguistics: sound systems are studied in phonology, speech patterns pertain to phonetics, and contextual language use falls under pragmatics. Each of these components addresses a distinct area of linguistic analysis, highlighting the specialized focus of morphology on word formation.