Compounding

Question 1

What is compounding?

Answer 1

Compounding is a word formational process combining two bases to form new lexical items. Once formed, they can be combined with other lexical items to create larger compounds. Syntactically, the constituents of a compound can have relation such as modifier-head (BLACKBIRD); predicate-argument (HAND-MADE), and apposition (ACTOR-MANAGER)

Question 2

Properties of compounds

Answer 2

In relation to PHONOLOGY, most A-N compounds have more prominent stress on the first component, while in non-compounds the stress is on the second (‘BLACKBIRD - BLACKBIRD’)
In relation to MORPHOLOGY, tense and plural markers can’t typically be attached to the first element, but to the whole compound.
In relation to SYNTAX, the adjective in a compound cannot be preceded by a degree word such as very, but when the adjective is not part of the compound it can be.
In relation to SEMANTICS, it is unclear whether a compound is really a combination forming a unit expressing a single idea which is not identical in meaning to the single elements of the compound.

Question 3

Compositionality of compounds and the lexicon

Answer 3

Compounding is widely and productively used in word formation and many compounds do not need to be listed in the dictionary because their meaning is transparent.

Question 4

Types of compounds

Answer 4

Compounds may be either primary/root or synthetic/verbal.
ROOT compounds are compounds that contain concatenated words (APPLE PIE, HOUSEBOAT) whereas VERBAL compounds are formed from deverbal heads and the non-head fulfils the function of the argument of the verb (EASYGOING, HAND-MADE)
Syntactically speaking they are classified into adjectival (GOOD-LOOKING), adverbial (UPSTAIRS), nominal (HOUSEWIFE), and verbal (BABYSIT)

Question 5

Semantic types of compounds

Answer 5

One of the words that make up a compound is syntactically dominant because it’s a head. That is usually the item on the right. There are 4 types of semantic compounds.

Question 6

Endocentric compounds

Answer 6

Endocentric compounds are compounds whose rightmost components identify the general class to which the meaning of the word belongs. (BULLDOG - A TYPE OF DOG; BEDROOM - A TYPE OF ROOM)

Question 7

Exocentric compounds

Answer 7

In exocentric compounds the meaning of the compound does not follow the meaning of its components (REDNECK - NOT A TYPE OF NECK BUT AN ULTRA CONSERVATIVE WHITE WORKING CLASS PERSON)

Question 8

Copulative compounds

Answer 8

Copulative compounds are conjunctions of two elements without any further dependency between them. (BREAD AND BUTTER; MACEDONIAN-ENGLISH)

Question 9

Appositional compounds

Answer 9

Appositional compounds are compounds whose both elements function simultaneously as their semantic heads. (GIRLFRIEND)