Compounding versus derivation

This chapter examines the demarcation of compounds and derivative items. It is argued that the two types of constructions belong to word-formation, and intermingle in such a way that only the same grammatical domain could handle them properly. This domain is considered to be morphology, and claims and proposals are exemplified with data drawn from Standard Modern Greek and its dialects.The following issues are tackled:a. The order of application of the two processes. It is shown that there are cases which advocate a non-linear order between the two.b. The existence of a specific constraint, which demonstrates the close interaction of the two processes, since the structure of derivative items seems to be accessible to compounding and affected by its application.c. A peculiar borderline case, according to which a free lexical item in Standard Modern Greek has acquired a fuzzy categorial status in one dialect, but has become a pure prefix into another. To this end, the chapter focuses on the crucial role of dialectal evidence.

Published online: 28 April 2010
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.311.06ral