Hyphenation as a compounding technique in English

• DOI: 10.1016/j.langsci.2020.101326
• Publication Date: 2020-10-08T22:33:17Z
• Authors: Kun Sun; R. Harald Baayen
• Keywords: Compounding

Hyphenated compounds have largely been neglected in the studies of compounding, which seldom analysed context. In this study, we argue that hyphen use is strongly motivated. Hyphenation used when words form a unit, reduces possibility parsing them into separate units or other forms. The current study adopts new perspective on contextual factors, namely, part speech (PoS) compound as whole belongs to and how people correctly parse unit. This process can be observed by considering examples. therefore holds hyphenation might gradually become compounding technique differs from general principles. To better understand hyphenated motivation for using hyphenation, conduct quantitative investigation their distribution frequency explore English over last 200 years. Diachronic change has considered. question explored data obtained three databases contain compounds. analysis shows frequencies tokens types increasing, changes both follow S-curve model. Historical evidence compounds, an orthographic form, does not seem disappear easily. Familiarity economy, suggested cognitive cannot adequately explain phenomenon. provide cross-verification suggests evolved technique. Language users probably unconsciously take advantage discriminative learning model remind themselves these combinations should parsed differently. Thus facilitates communication efficiency. Overall, significantly enhances our understanding nature motivations its processing.