Les composés français VN — aspects sémantiques

Abstract

This study addresses the semantics of French VN compounds within a lexeme-based and lexicalistic approach to morphology. The N constituent can correspond to one of the two semantic macroroles: PATIENT (ouvre-boîte) or ACTOR (croque-monsieur). In addition, there is a special type of unproductive VN compound in which the N is a hyperonym of the hyponym compound (gratte-boësse). The study confirms that there are no strict constraints on the V and the N: the fourAktionsarten, as well as unaccusative and inergative Vs, are accepted. Moreover, it shows that the compounds are formed by different semantic patterns : Agent/Experiencer, Instrument, Locative, Causative, Event and Patient/Theme. The Agent/Experiencer and Instrument patterns in which the N is a PATIENT are the most productive ones.

An instance of productive overabundance: The plural of some Italian VN compounds

“…We will not even try to give an account of the existing bibliography. For single languages, we may just mention Rainer (1993: 265-278), Val Álvaro (1999 and Moyna (2011) for Spanish, Villoing (2009) and Rosenberg (2011) for French, Bisetto (1999), Ferrari-Bridgers (2005, Ricca (2010) andvon Heusinger &Schwarze (2013) for Italian. For more references and a general perspective at the Romance level, the reader is referred to Gather (2001), and for a recent brief synthesis to Ricca (2015).…”