A Study of the Internal Structure of N+N Compounds

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of how the language user can interpret two-constituent compounds. After reviewing the previous studies regarding classifications, this study finds out that although the studies suggest several sets of semantic relations or syntactic structures, the criteria of the classifications are not clear, and the previous studies usually depend on our encyclopedic information to get the appropriate interpretation of two noun compounds, especially attributive-appositive compounds. In order to distinguish similar-looking N+N compounds from each other, this study explores relevant notions, such as autonomacy/dependency in a cognitive framework regarding the relation between the two elements in compounds. The same examples in noun-noun compounds in the previous studies can be analyzed and examined from this perspective. Finally, this study goes back to Lees’ (1960) classification on the syntactic aspects and tries to elaborate upon his proposal by employing the findings in this study.