Word Compounds in English

Word Compounds/
Compounds

Instructor: Nguyen Thi Thanh Lan


Definitions

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Compound words have at least two free bases (free
morphemes) with or without bound morphemes.
Examples: highway, desklamps, northeast, well-prepared, etc


Features of Compounds
1. The phonological features:
The elements (free bases) of a compound word are stressed.
Word compounds take the primary-secondary stress pattern.
Examples: bluebell /bluːbel/; sweetheart /swiːthɑːt/

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Features of Compounds

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Normally, the primary stress falls on the first word of the
compounds. However, in some cases, the second word will take
the primary stress.
Examples:
well-behaved /wel.bhevd/
ill-tempered /ltempəd/

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Features of Compounds

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Some compounds are differentiated from grammatical
structures (GS) by their patterns of stress.
The grammatical structure consists of a modifier plus a noun
(head), as in blue bell, red coat and green house. (structure that
has grammatical relationship).
In GS, the head takes the primary stress.


Features of Compounds
2. The syntactic feature:
Compound words are considered as solid blocks. They cannot
be divided by the insertion of any other elements. But
grammatical structures can be so divided.

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Features of Compounds
2. The syntactic feature:
Examples:
She is my sweetheart. (C)
She has a very sweet heart. (GS)
She has a sweeter heart than her sister. (GS)

(1)
(2)
(3)


Features of Compounds
2. The syntactic feature:
Examples:
4) It was a very hard ball. (GS)
5) It was a baseball. (C)
6) This is a greenhouse. (C)
7) This is a (really) green house. (GS)


Features of Compounds
2. The syntactic feature:
Compounds can be either right-headed or left-headed.


Right-Headed

Singular

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Scissor-handle
Trouser-hanger
Binocular-case
Craftsman

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Plural
Scissor-handles
Trouser-hangers
Binocular-cases
Craftsmen


Left-Headed
Singular

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Passer-by
Mother-in-law
Attorney general

Plural

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Passers-by
Mothers-in-law
Attorneys general


Features of Compounds
3. The semantic feature:
Compound words have specialized meanings. Therefore,
knowing the meaning of each element of a compound word
does not make it possible to figure out the meaning of the
whole combination.

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Examples:
- greenhouse: a building with a roof and sides made of glass, used
for growing plants that need warmth and protection.

Examples:
- bluebell: a small European plant that usually grows in woods and
has blue flowers shaped like bells


Structures of Compounds

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Compounds can be of different parts of speech: compound
nouns, compound adjectives, and compound verbs.
See textbook (pp. 44-47)