Ill start with a brief introduction.

Then, I will deal with the structure and

meaning of compounds along with the different types of compounds and the
concept of incorporation. After that, I will move on to idiomatic expressions as
well as their meaning. Finally, I will close my presentation with a conclusion.
30s

INTRODUCTION
- A compound is the combination of two existing words. In English, compounds
can be writen as one Word, with a hyphen or as two separate words. The coinage
of new compounds is very frequent and is used to expand the vocabulary. This
process is quite related to derivation, but as opposed to it, compounds only use
content words as its constituent parts. Moreover, the outcome of a derivation
process can become part of a compound, for instance: cyclist club.
- On the other hand, an idiomatic expression is also a way of expanding the
vocabulary, since they give new meanings to existing words. The thing is that
they cannot be read literally, but in a figurative way. So, the expression
someone is shifting the goal posts does not really mean what you can see on
the picture, but to change the rules of a game. 1.30s
STRUCTURE AND MEANING
-

The order of the elements is variable, but the meaning will change. It is the last
element which gives the meaning of the whole. In the pictures you can see the
differences between chocolate milk or milk chocolate.
The last part of the compound is called head for its determining role. Its position
varies from language to language, but in English its found in the last place.
Apart from the meaning, it also determines the inflectional properties of the
compound.
The parts of a compound cannot be interrupted. Thats why the adjective must
precede the compound as a whole. So, instead of saying a chocolate delicious
milk you should say delicious chocolate milk.

They are usually contradictory: resident alien, diet ice cream

We can find plenty of different strutures depending on the categories of the

constituent elements:
o If the the head is a N, we can obtain:
V+N: runway
N +N: teacup
Adj + N: grandfather
o If the head is an Adj, we can find:
V+Adj: drip-dry
N + Adj: gluten-free
Adj + Adj: blue-green
o Compounds with a V in the head are less frequent (overdo) 3.30

TYPES

Endoentric compounds: The head of the compound determines the Word

category and its inflection, such as the plural formation. The first part gives
qualification of the head. Eg: Chair, kitchen chair, folding chair
Exocentric compounds: The right lemenent is not the head. Must-have is not a
kind of having. In cataln we also have this kind of compounds: sobre-taula

INCORPORATION
- The verb melts together with its object, and takes in an argument
- This type of object incorporation is very characteristic of polysynthetic
languages. Eg. Tiwa (Native American Indians): Tiseuanmuban = I saw a man.
The object has been incorporated into the verb.
- It is also frequent in sign languages, it occurs between numeral and nouns.
- English we have few examples: pickpocket ad scarecrow
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
-

Or idioms. They are fixed expressions. The words cannot be replaced by others.
Many idioms are posible only in restricted tenses. You cannot say: If you will
pass your exam, I will be a Dutchman.
Modifications are diffiult: they will actvate the literal meaning of the noun and
do away the idiomatic interpretation
They quite often dont admit:
o negation: I dont have a Sharp tongue
o variation: its raining dogs and cats.
o passive: The celing was hit by him.
However, there are expressions that admit a bit more flexibility

THE MEANING OF IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

-

The meaning of some expressions is far from the literal words. Then, we will say
that these are not transparent idioms. For example pull someone0s leg that
means to tease someone.
Others are more transparent depending on your familiarity with some specidic
fields: throw in the sponge is to admit defeat, it will only be clear if one is
familiar with the wordl of boxing, in which a spoinge is trown into the ring
when he contestant wants to retire.
Others are more easy to understand: savour every Word in a speech, savour is
used in the domain of food and drink. Now we are in front of a figure of speech,
a metaphor. Metaphoric language is an important source to crate idioms.
When such comparisons or metaphors appeal to peoples imagination, spread
throughut the speech community, and become idiomatic expressions.
When a metaphor is the basis of an idioma it may occur more or less in the same
form in different languages: break the ice, trencar el gel, romper el hielo

They can reflect diferent styles: lose my temper = neutral vs lose my cool =
informal. So idioms vary according to the demand of the situation, including the
social status of the speaker.

Although there exist idioms to express an idea, its also common to find a nonidiomatic expression for telling the same. Idioms and non-idiomatic expressions

coexist as alternative ways of saying something, usually in a difference in style:

he is Rolling in it (vulgar and ostentatious), he is very wealthy (neutral and
descriptive).
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Children and 2nd language learners can face problems when learning idioms.

Their meanings are often unpredictable and cannot be related to their constituent
words. Since they are originate from metaphors, idioms are incolved with
language change.

Some words occur only in idiomatic expressions, their everyday uses have been
lost. Without further ado = without further delay. Ado ment fuss.

Idioms are stored in our heads as complete expressios, but sometimes the
expressions get mixed: lets take the cow by the horns (instead of the bull). The
resaon is that speakers can handle idioms analytically, they have Access to their
constituent elements.

Proberbs are completely fixed in form. But, in contrast to idioms, proverbs are
usually a complete sentence. They are often stereotypical and sentencious.
Quotes from famous speeches or literary Works can become proverbs: to be or
not to be Yiddish probreb: A Golden key opens all doors.

CONCLUSION
-

Words can be connected with each other. The compounds, the constituent words
are closely linked. Compounds serve to expand ocabulary, but cannot be predict
what the meaning of the new Word will be. In endocentric compounds, The
head determines the inflectional properties of the compound. In exocentric
compounds there is no head. When a Word absorbs another Word and the two
become one, is known as incorporation
Idioms are unpredictable in meaning and somewhat fossilised as to their suntax.
Metaphor is often the basis for idiomatic expressions. Some words occur only in
idiomatic expressions, their everyday uses have been lost.