A Reexamination Of The Complex Structure Of English N+n Compounds

N+N compounds constantly show up in the modern and contemporary English language and have caught increasing attention from linguists. The English N+N compound refers to a compound noun which is shaped by a noun modified by another noun, with the pattern of N+N?úN. The previous studies mainly examine the internal syntactic relations, the cognitive mechanisms of concept integration, the metaphorical and metonymic semantics and non-semantic factors within English N+N compounds on the ground of the Componential Analysis Theory, the Generative Theory and the Conceptual Blending Theory, but little attention has been drawn to the issue of the internal frame-based cognitive operation of N+N compounding. This thesis, combining observation and introspection, qualitatively reexamines the internal complex semantic relations of English N+N compounds from the perspective of the Frame Semantics Theory by looking into their internal frame-based cognitive operation. The working hypothesis in this thesis is that English N+N compounding is a frame-based conceptual compounding in which the main semantic frames are retained while the minor semantic frames and the connecting devices are ignored. Therefore, English N+N compounds are paratactic in nature although the English language is hypotactic.The thesis consists of eight chapters. Chapter One defines English N+N compounds and introduces the significance of the study, the framework of the thesis and the working hypothesis. Chapter Two provides an overview of the previous studies of English N+N compounds both overseas and domestic. Chapter Three states the weak points of the previous studies in the context of the semantic analysis approach, the generative approach and the conceptual blending approach, by introducing the advantages that the Frame Semantics Theory takes in explaining English N+N compounds. Chapter Four focuses on the notions and properties of the frame by defining the independent frame and the compound frame, and examines the relationship between the frame, framing, compounding and the compound. It also puts forward the frame-based N+N compounding model in which the frame shift is classified into the inter-frame shift and the intra-frame shift. Chapter Five discusses the parataxis of English N+N compounds, including a redefinition of parataxis, the paratactic focus of English N+N compounds, the paratactic accesses to English N+N compounds and the paratactic economy in N+N compounding. Chapter Six investigates the semantic restrictions on the morphology, syntax and phonology of N+N compounds, and points out that the semantic restrictions, as a matter of fact, are paratactic constraints on N+N compounding. Chapter Seven discusses the frame-driven motivations for English N+N compounds. The last chapter presents a summary of new findings, contributions, and limitations of the thesis, and suggests further studies of N+ N compounds.Based on our discussion and analysis, this thesis comes to the following conclusions. Firstly, English N+N compounds are paratactic in nature although the English language is hypotactic. In N+N compounding, only the major conceptual frames are retained while the minor conceptual frames and the connecting devices are ignored. Secondly, the two independent frames and the compound frame are interactive in N+N compounding. Regularly, the compound frame of the N+N compound possibly bears a null semantic deviation, a partial semantic deviation and a holistic deviation in different cases. Thirdly, metaphor and metonymy are often important means for the activation of frame shift. The mechanism of the inter-frame shift is metaphor, which is established by highlighting the similarity between the source frame and the target frame. But the intra-frame shift is activated by metonymy. On the basis of contiguity, the intra-frame shift is realized within the same frame. Fourthly, N+N compounds are always restricted semantically. Their internal semantic relations are far more complex and difficult to describe, but the syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations of the independent frames of N+N compounds are analytic. By analyzing the syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations between the two independent frames, the semantic restrictions are examined. Morphologically, N+N compounding obeys the rules of directionality, holisticness, specificity and recursiveness. Syntactically, N+N compound has an internal structure open to syntactic manipulation and visible to syntactic process. Phonologically, one of the most commonly cited compound-specific phonological rules is stress assignment. As is attested, the morphological, syntactic and phonological representations are all representations of parataxis, i.e. the paratactic constraints. Fifthly, the motivations for N+N compounds are frame-driven. The frame-based N+N compounding is driven by the interaction of internal motivation and external motivation.By reexamining English N+N compounds, the thesis takes a new look at the previous studies concerned. Meanwhile, it provides an investigation into the internal complex relationship between the independent frame and the compound frame within English N+N compounds by adopting a new perspective, i.e. the perspective of the Frame Semantics Theory. The contributions of the present study are of great importance to further the study of the internal complex logical, syntactic and semantic relations within English N+N compounds. It represents a useful effort in revealing the universal rules guiding the cognitive formation of English compounds. Also, the thesis, to a significant extent, presents an innovative expansion of the Frame Semantics Theory.