Comparative Study of Shina and English Compounds

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of Shina and English compounds based on word formation by utilizing Construction Morphology as a framework proposed by Booij (2010). In the Shina language, compounds are constructed by combining different words to create new words with entirely new meanings. Compounds are formed by combining nouns, adjectives, and verbs to create new meanings. Verb-verb compounds also occur, where multiple verbs are combined to express actions or concepts although these formations may not always be explicit. Moreover, compounds in Shina often follow the endocentric pattern where one word acts as the main part or “head” that determines the whole meaning. In Shina morphology, the Left Hand Rule (LHR) dictates that the head of a compound word is determined by the left-hand member of the compound. However, not all compounds in Shina follow this rule, and exocentric compounds are also common. Interestingly, compound words in Shina not only convey meaning but also indicate grammatical features such as number and gender which reflect the language’s morphological system. The study can be beneficial for language documentation and has the potential to enrich the lexicon and morphological studies of Shina. Furthermore, the study may aid in the analysis of linguistic structures in Shina.