Onomasiological Description of Bahuvrihi Compounds and Semantics of the First Constituent

Abstract

Taking an onomasiological approach as simply the starting point in selecting linguistic material embraced by this research (compounds whose onomasiological structure comprises QUALITY + SUBSTANCE (in Dokulil’s terms (Dokulil 1962)), more commonly known as bahuvrihi compounds), this paper goes on to suggest a view inside the semantic change occurring in the QUALITY element of the compound and the way in which this influences the semantics of the whole. The semantic shift taking place in the first constituent (normally represented by an adjective stem of the adjective of quality) is often typical of the process of personal nomination, especially in cases when joining two perfectly neutral words in the process of compounding alters the connotative characteristics (partly demonstrating the discrepancy between the parameter expressed by the compound and the parameter accepted as standard in a certain culture). In this era of politically correct expression, the subtleties governing this area of nomination are worthy of attention, not only for scholars but also for teachers of English as a foreign language.