On the lexical semantics of compounds
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Rochelle Lieber
Abstract
In this chapter I identify a type of compounding in English which I call non-affixal (de)verbal compounds in which one element of the compound is a noun and the other either a verb (attack dog) or a noun derived from a verb (dog attack). Unlike synthetic and root compounds in English, this type of compound has received very little attention, although it exhibits interesting properties. I illustrate that unlike typical synthetic compounds, non-affixal (de)verbal compounds show a propensity for subject-oriented interpretations, and I argue that this propensity follows from an analysis based within the framework of Lieber (2004, 2006, 2009).
Abstract
In this chapter I identify a type of compounding in English which I call non-affixal (de)verbal compounds in which one element of the compound is a noun and the other either a verb (attack dog) or a noun derived from a verb (dog attack). Unlike synthetic and root compounds in English, this type of compound has received very little attention, although it exhibits interesting properties. I illustrate that unlike typical synthetic compounds, non-affixal (de)verbal compounds show a propensity for subject-oriented interpretations, and I argue that this propensity follows from an analysis based within the framework of Lieber (2004, 2006, 2009).
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Why compounding? 1
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Section 1. Delimiting the field
- The role of syntax and morphology in compounding 21
- Constraints on compounds and incorporation 37
- Compounding versus derivation 57
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Section 2. At the core of compounding
- Units in compounding 77
- Compound construction: Schemas or analogy? 93
- The head in compounding 109
- On the lexical semantics of compounds 127
- The phonology of compounds 145
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Section 3. Typology and types of compounds
- The typology of exocentric compounding 167
- Coordination in compounding 177
- Parasynthetic compounds 199
- Synthetic compounds 219
- Corpus data and theoretical implications 237
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Section 4. Quantitative and psycholinguistic aspects of compounding
- Frequency effects in compound processing 257
- Computational issues in compound processing 271
- Relational competition during compound interpretation 287
- Sign languages and compounding 301
- First language acquisition of compounds 323
- List of abbreviations 345
- Master list of references 349
- Language index 377
- Subject index 379
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Why compounding? 1
-
Section 1. Delimiting the field
- The role of syntax and morphology in compounding 21
- Constraints on compounds and incorporation 37
- Compounding versus derivation 57
-
Section 2. At the core of compounding
- Units in compounding 77
- Compound construction: Schemas or analogy? 93
- The head in compounding 109
- On the lexical semantics of compounds 127
- The phonology of compounds 145
-
Section 3. Typology and types of compounds
- The typology of exocentric compounding 167
- Coordination in compounding 177
- Parasynthetic compounds 199
- Synthetic compounds 219
- Corpus data and theoretical implications 237
-
Section 4. Quantitative and psycholinguistic aspects of compounding
- Frequency effects in compound processing 257
- Computational issues in compound processing 271
- Relational competition during compound interpretation 287
- Sign languages and compounding 301
- First language acquisition of compounds 323
- List of abbreviations 345
- Master list of references 349
- Language index 377
- Subject index 379
