Compounding

birth day
Definition
Compounding is the formation of a new
word by joining two or more words together.
A compound word is a word that consists of
at least two root morphemes with or without
derivational morphemes.
E.g.: boyfriend, easy-going, dirt-cheap, door-
handle, mother-in-law, aircraft-carriers …
 Boy + friend

Specific meaning General meaning

(Determinant) (Determinatum)
Compound words vs. free word groups

E.g.: A boyfriend (1) (compound)

vs
A boy friend (2) (free word group)

Ladybird (1) (compound)

vs
Lady bird (2) (free word group)
Compound words vs. free word groups

Criteria for distinguishing a compound word from a

free combination of word:
1. Phonological criterion
2. Structural criterion
3. Semantic criterion
4. Spelling criterion
Compound words vs free word groups

1. Phonetic criterion:

Most compounds have the nuclear stress on the 1st

component:
Eg: ’blackboard, ’boyfriend

A free word group has the stress on both

components, (or on the 2nd).
Eg: ’black ’board, ’boy ’friend
Compound words vs free word groups

2. Structural integrity criterion:

The structure of a compound is stable and
inseparable, unlike that of a free word group.

Eg: She has a sweetheart.

vs She has a sweet heart.
(She has a sweeter heart than her sister.
She has a sweet, kind heart.
She has a very sweet heart)
 Compound words vs free word groups

3. Semantic integrity criterion:

A compound expresses a single idea and its
meaning may not be a mere sum of the meanings of
the components.

Eg:
redtape (bureaucracy/ official rules that seem
more complicated than necessary) # a red tape (a
tape that is red)
hotdog (a hot sausage) # a hot dog (a dog that is
hot)
In terms of meaning
non-motivated/ idiomatic
motivated/ non-idiomatic

redtape ≠ red tape

hotdog ≠ hot dog
Schoolgirl = girl from school
Compound words vs free word groups

4. Spelling criterion:
When a group of words is spelt with a
hyphen or without separation, it is a
compound.
- Hyphenated compound (red-tape)
-Solid compound (boyfriend, restroom)
-Open compound (first aid)
Classification of compound words

1. According to the part of speech

1. Compound nouns
2. Compound adjectives
3. Compound verbs
4. Compound adverbs
5. Compound prepositions

Groups of 3: find examples for each kind.

 Groups of 3: In 5 minutes, find as many as
possible, but at least 3 examples for each kind.
Compound nouns Compound verbs

Compound adjectives Compound

adverbs

Compound prepositions

Write down a sentence in which you include 1 compound

noun, 1 compound verb, 1 compound adjective, 1 compound
adverb and 1 compound preposition.
A compound verb is a verb that is made up of
multiple words. The compound verb can take
on such forms as:
A prepositional verb
A phrasal verb
A verb with auxiliaries
A compound single-word verb
(https://examples.yourdictionary.com/compound-verb-
examples.html)
Compound Nouns

answerphone, playboy, snowfall,

chewing gum, cooking oil,
honey-bee, air-conditioner
Compound Adjectives

dirt-cheap, paper-thin
peace-loving, English-speaking
home-made, far-reaching
well-mannered, bad-tempered
Compound Verbs

Double-click, brainwash,
air-condition, look forward to
to whitewash, machine-wash
to bottle-feed, breast-feed
to team-teach
Compound Adverbs

wholeheartedly
self-confidently
kind-heartedly
shamefacedly
Compound Prepositions

into, onto, upon

Classification of compound words

2. According to meaning

- Non-idiomatic compounds
- Idiomatic compounds
- Partially idiomatic compounds
a. Non-idiomatic (motivated) compounds: ones
whose meanings can be easily deduced from
the meanings of the components.

Eg:
Book store, goal-keeper
door-handle, classmate
good-looking, hand-made
(to) whitewash, (to) dry-clean
b. Idiomatic (non-motivated) compounds: whose
meanings are idiomatic and cannot be
deduced from the meanings of the
components.

Eg: ladybird
merry-go-round
greenhouse effects
forget-me-not (a kind of flower)
c. Partially idiomatic: ones whose
meanings can be partially deduced from
the meanings of the components.

Eg:
Newspaper, mother-in-law, blackmail,
Label the compounds below as non-motivated (N) or
motivated (M) or partially-motivated (P)

Iceberg Grandmother
Chatterbox Snowman
Dog-eared (book) Rainbow
Newborn Evergreen (tree)
Greenlight Windfall
Red-letter (day) Bedtime
Afternoon Tight-fisted (person)
White lie Blackmail
Label the words below as non-motivated (N) or
motivated (M)
Iceberg Grandmother
Chatterbox Snowman
Dog-eared (book) Rainbow
Newborn Evergreen (tree)
Greenlight Windfall
Red-letter (day) Bedtime
Afternoon Tight-fisted (person)
White lie Blackmail
Reflection game: 2 lines facing each other –
they talk with each other about the terms
given. Move to the right)
REFLECTION