Syntactic-Semantic Analysis of Term Compounds in Mechanics

Abstract

This paper focuses on the syntactic-semantic analysis of Lithuanian and English compounds in mechanical terminology. The aim of the study is to reveal the components of semantic-syntactic relations of compounds in both languages. According to the theory and methodology of Olsen, LarssoN, and Keinys, the following syntactic-semantic relations of compounds were identified: determinative, possessive, copulative, and verbal governing. These types are dominant in English and Lithuanian. It was found that the essential feature of determinative compounds is the presence of both noun components. Possessive compounds usually have a single adjectival component and are metaphorical in meaning. Copulative compounds are both equivalent nouns that do not describe each other, and in English copulative compound components can be swapped, and the meaning would not change. The distinguishing feature of verbal governing compounds is that one component is a verb or verb-noun, which is usually the second component of a compound. The semantic-syntactic analysis showed that most of the compounds identified were determinative. The analysis of the determinative compounds by semantic class revealed that the most productive is the semantic class of purpose. This tendency was observed among the Lithuanian and English equivalents. Although while discussing the existing patterns of compound derivation, the most frequent pattern was N + N in Lithuanian and English, the present research identified other types as well. The following models dominated among Lithuanian compounds: Adj. + N, Adv. + N, and Num.+N, while the following dominated in English: Pr. + N, V + N, and N + Adj. Such results show that in the terminology of mechanics, the pattern of formation of both noun component compounds is the most productive among Lithuanian compounds and their English equivalents.