 Cognitive Analysis of Exocentric Verb-Noun Compounds in EnglishCunying Fan International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 2014, vol. 3, issue 2, 176-189 Abstract: Verb-Noun compounds in English can be classified into endocentric compounds and exocentric ones. Among exocentric Verb-Noun compounds, two types of constructions are very common: ‘Verb + Object = Agent’ construction and ‘Verb + Object =Instrument’ construction. Based on the cognitive analysis of endocentric V+N compounds, this paper argues that exocentric V+N compounds can be analyzed in the same way as endocentric V+N compounds in terms of cognitive concepts such as composite structure, component stem, trajector, landmark, etc. In order to derive the correct semantic denotation of exocentric V+N compounds, one more cognitive mechanism called metonymy is needed. This paper also argues that one way to distinguish endocentric V+N compounds and exocentric V+N compounds is whether the trajectors of the relationship denoted by the verbs in these compounds are overt or covert. And one slight difference between ‘Verb + Object = Agent’ construction and ‘Verb + Object =Instrument’ construction is that the former has an animate trajector while the latter has an inanimate trajector. Keywords: Endocentric; Exocentric; Verb-Noun compounds; Composite structure; Component stem; Trajector; Landmark; Metonymy. (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:asi:ijells:v:3:y:2014:i:2:p:176-189:id:662 Access Statistics for this article More articles in International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies from Asian Economic and Social Society |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.