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