What is the process of compounding?

Phonetics And Word Formation Questions Medium



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What is the process of compounding?

The process of compounding is a word formation process in which two or more independent words are combined to create a new word with a different meaning. In this process, the meaning of the new word is often a combination or extension of the meanings of the individual words that make it up. Compounding is a common process in many languages and can occur in various ways, such as combining nouns (e.g., "blackboard"), verbs (e.g., "sunbathe"), adjectives (e.g., "blue-eyed"), or even a combination of different word classes (e.g., "bookshelf"). Compounds can be formed by joining the words together without any changes (e.g., "football"), by adding a hyphen between the words (e.g., "mother-in-law"), or by combining them with a space (e.g., "high school"). The process of compounding allows for the creation of new words that efficiently convey complex meanings and enrich the vocabulary of a language.