Semester 4, 2011By Fitri

Compounding

Definition

Definition: (First)

The combination of two words to form a new word

e.g.Fast-foodBlackboardGreenhouseSkyscraper

2nd definition:

Compound is a word that consists of two elements:The first is either a root, a word or a phraseThe second is either a root or a word.

Analyzing

University teaching award committee member N

N

N

N

N N N award N N

teaching committee member

University

The assumption that compound are binary structures:Innermost constituent

[teaching award] an award for teachingNext larger constituent

[university teaching award] the teaching award of the university.Next constituent

[university teaching award committee]

Recognizing compounds

Three ways in recognizing compounds:

1. The formulation of binary structures

2. The notion of head

3. The stress

The notion of head

Compounds have a very important systematic property:Their head usually occurs on the right-hand headIt’s called right-hand head rule

Type of right-hand head:If the head is a verb, the compound will be a verb.

e.g. deep-fryIf the head is a count noun, the compound will a noun.

e.g. beer bottleIf the head has feminine gender, the compound will have feminine gender

e.g. head waitress

The stress

Compounds tend to have a stress pattern that is different from phrases.Phrases tend to be stressed at the final word (it’s called as nuclear stress rule)Compounds tend to be stressed on the first element (it’s called compound stress rule)

Example:Noun phrases:

[the green cárpet]

[this new hóuse]

[such a good jób]Nominal compounds

[páyment problems]

[installátion]

[spáce requirement]

Exception

A systematic exception of the compound stress rule:The compound stress rule hold for all compounds (leftward stress).However, there is an exception of it as the example below:

Geologist astrónomer Summer níght Silk tíe, aluminum foíl A Mahler sýmpony

Such compounds are called copulative compounds

The meaning relationships typically accompanied by rightward stress are: Temporal or locative (a summer níght, the

boston márathon) Causative (aluminum fóil) Created by (a Shakespeare Sónnet)

Type of compounds

Nominal compounds Adjectival compounds Verbal compounds Neoclassical compounds

Nominal compounds

Compound with nouns as head (though involve verbs and adjectives as non-heads)

Noun-noun compounds are the most common type of compound in English

Two types of nominal compounds: Endocentric compounds

the semantic head of these compounds is inside the compound.

Exocentric compounds

The semantic head is outside the compound

Example

Endocentric compounds:Laser printer (it’s a kind of printer)Book cover (it’s a kind of cover)Letter head (it’s the head of letter)

Exocentric compounds:Redneck (it’s a kind of person)Loudmouth (it doesn’t denote a kind of mouth)Pick pocket (someone who picks pocket)Cut-throat (someone who cuts throat)Spoilsport (someone who spoils enjoyable leisure of other people)

Adjectival compounds

Compound with adjectives as head It can have nouns or adjectives, but as non-

heads

e.g. Capital-intensive Knee-deep Girl-crazy Class-conscious Sugar-free

Verbal compounds

Verbal compounds have verbs as the head Sometimes, it includes nouns, adjectives as

non-heads

e.g. Proof-read Shortcut Broadcast Stir-fry Dry-clean

Neoclassical compounds

Forms in which lexeme of Latin or Greek origin are combined to form new combinations.

e.g.Biochemistry, biorhythm, biographyGeology, biology, neurology, philologyPhotograph, photoanalysis,

photovoltaic