Compound Words

[Jack]

I was watching Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader with my brother and father, and there was a question about grammar. I'm generally good at grammar, so I was confident about the question until I saw it.

"True or false? There is a compound word in this sentence."

Compound words can be two words smashed into one word, like pancake; two words joined by a hyphen, such as accident-prone; or two words that remain separate, as in school bus. I was fairly certain the phrase compound word fit into the third category, making the sentence true. The answer turned out to be false, because apparently compound word isn't a compound word. Can anyone offer a good explanation as to why it isn't considered a compound word?

 

[Luna]

School doesn't describe a bus. Nor does ice describe the type of cream. And I don't think the jury is grand when I say Grand Jury. When put together, the two words form a new meaning that results in a noun independent of either word. Simply stated, the first word doesn't act as an adjective to the second word, and vice versa.

Strangely enough, compound describes the type of word, like saying sad word or long word. As one states compound word, they are describing a word that is made up of two words. Likewise, when one says long word, they are describing a word that is long. That is why compound word isn't a compound word, because compound acts as an adjective. It does not make a new noun.

This was done by mere research and experience, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Jack]

Strangely enough, compound describes the type of word, like saying sad word or long word. As one states compound word, they are describing a word that is made up of two words. Likewise, when one says long word, they are describing a word that is long. That is why compound word isn't a compound word, because compound acts as an adjective. It does not make a new noun.

I think the reason I view compound word as a compound word is that a very specific thing. Whether a word is short or long is subjective; I would never say the word balloon is long, but a 1st grader might disagree. Whether a word is a compound word or not is, for the most part, a fact (I say for the most part because I'm being subjective in this particular case). Anyone who knows what a compound word is would never question that school bus fits into this category. A long word is just a word that appears to be long, while compound words are actual grammatical terms.

Also, when I googled "compound word," I found that in linguistics it's simply called a compound. I understand that in the phrase compound word, compound is an adjective describing word. But if you view it as a noun (meaning "a thing composed of two or more elements"), then I think it would be a compound word. An eyeball is both biologically an eye and geometrically a sphere (i.e. a ball). In the same way, a compound (as a noun) word could be viewed as both a compound and a word.

I can understand that since compound is being used as an adjective, it would not be a compound word. But if viewed as a noun, then one could argue that it does in fact create a compound word, because compound would not be acting as an adjective, rather the phrase would exist as both a compound and a word at the same time. An eyeball is a sphere (ball) that more specifically functions as an eye. Therefore I feel that compound word should be a word that more specifically is a compound.

EDIT: I searched a list of compound words, and I found that there are several words that consist of an adjective and the noun it describes. Why do teachers write on a blackboard, when in reality it is a board that happens to be black? Why do acrobats walk on a tightrope specifically but not walk on any old tight rope? If these adjective-noun pairings are compound words, why are we talking about compound words rather than compoundwords?

 

[Luna]

You have an avid mind! Although I must tell you a few things, mostly thoughts on what you said to broaden your horizons.

I think the reason I view compound word as a compound word is that a very specific thing. Whether a word is short or long is subjective; I would never say the word balloon is long, but a 1st grader might disagree. Whether a word is a compound word or not is, for the most part, a fact (I say for the most part because I'm being subjective in this particular case). Anyone who knows what a compound word is would never question that school bus fits into this category. A long word is just a word that appears to be long, while compound words are actual grammatical terms.

Keep in mind that adjectives can be specific and objective as well. Say a balloon is red. You describe it as a red balloon. That is an objective observation. Likewise, you can be objective when describing a word as "compound." The fact that "compound" can be factual does not hinder its status as an adjective.

Also, when I googled "compound word," I found that in linguistics it's simply called a compound. I understand that in the phrase compound word, compound is an adjective describing word. But if you view it as a noun (meaning "a thing composed of two or more elements"), then I think it would be a compound word. An eyeball is both biologically an eye and geometrically a sphere (i.e. a ball). In the same way, a compound (as a noun) word could be viewed as both a compound and a word.

I can understand that since compound is being used as an adjective, it would not be a compound word. But if viewed as a noun, then one could argue that it does in fact create a compound word, because compound would not be acting as an adjective, rather the phrase would exist as both a compound and a word at the same time. An eyeball is a sphere (ball) that more specifically functions as an eye. Therefore I feel that compound word should be a word that more specifically is a compound.

Eyeballs can be a rubber ball toy. Eyeballs can be two-dimensional. As long as it looks like an eyeball, you can call it an eyeball, because eyeball is a noun. Yes, compound words are basically just called compounds. But when stating compound words, compound is widely accepted to be viewed as an adjective, like compound food. See? Compound food did not create a new noun even if its specific.

EDIT: I searched a list of compound words, and I found that there are several words that consist of an adjective and the noun it describes. Why do teachers write on a blackboard, when in reality it is a board that happens to be black? Why do acrobats walk on a tightrope specifically but not walk on any old tight rope? If these adjective-noun pairings are compound words, why are we talking about compound words rather than compoundwords?

I see what you mean. But a blackboard can be any color, as long as it fits the criteria of a blackboard as defined in its definition, which is a surface written on by chalk. A tightrope to a giant may not seem that tight to dwarf. Yet, its still a tightrope. Heck, you can even say a tightrope is tight. Compound can be used to describe anything. A compound train. A compound house. A compound word. Therefore, it is not solely a noun but an adjective tied to a noun. Saying a word is a compound compound word is redundant, as is saying this is a red red balloon. Yet, you can say that a black blackboard is on the wall without seemingly being redundant.

Here's a chemistry analogy: A blackboard is to a compound, as a compound word is to a mixture.

Debating this is rather fun... I also see no definitive winner.

 

[Slayerpon Tatsu]

Can butter fly? Can bows rain? Can ice cream

 

[423]

I think Luna is pretty much right. The meaning of 'compound word' doesn't really change as a single phrase. That was quite the trick question.

Can bows rain?

They can in the skittles commercials

 

[Slayerpon Tatsu]

Well I ain't skittles