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96 componential analysis
the strengths of the approach (e.g. the correspondences between boy/girl, man/
woman, ram/ewe, etc., can be stated in terms of [+male] v. [−male] or [−female]
v. [+female]. There are several limitations to the componential models of
analysis so far suggested, such as the extent to which binary analyses are
possible for many lexical items, the claimed universality of components, and the
justification for selecting one value rather than the other for a possible component
(e.g. whether the above example should be analysed in terms of [+male]
or [−female]).
‘Componential analysis’ is also found in a general sense in linguistics, especially
in Europe, referring to any approach which analyses linguistic units into
components, whether in phonology, grammar or semantics. In this view,
Prague School phonological analysis is componential, as are the analyses of
word-and-paradigm morphology.
(3) In some approaches to phonology (e.g. dependency phonology), component
is used for a feature represented as a single (‘unary’) element, rather
than as a binary opposition. The term is given special status in unary component
theory.
componential analysis see component (2)
composite verb
see composition
composition (n.) A term used in linguistics to refer to a hierarchical model
of linguistic structure in which larger units are seen as being made up out of
smaller units. For example, in grammatical analysis, the relationship between
sentence, clause, phrase, word, and morpheme is sometimes described as
one of composition (constituency, or rank), the units of higher rank being
analysable (decomposable) into units of lower rank. One might subsequently
analyse such structures in terms of their compositional meaning. Compositional
models are to be found especially in scale-and-category, tagmemic,
stratificational and phrase-structure grammars. In relation to wordformation,
the term is used both in the general sense of ‘processes of compounding’,
and sometimes in a restricted sense, referring to a particular type of
compound. In transformational grammar, phrasal verbs (e.g. switch on,
take off) may be referred to as composite verbs. In semantics, compositionality
is the view that the meanings of individual words can be used to build up
the meanings of larger units: the meaning of the whole is determined by the
meaning of its parts and the way in which they are assembled. The notion is
important in, for example, Montague grammar.
compositionality (n.)
see composition
compound (n.) A term used widely in descriptive linguistic studies to refer
to a linguistic unit which is composed of elements that function independently
in other circumstances. Of particular currency are the notions of compounding
found in ‘compound words’ (consisting of two or more free morphemes, as
in such ‘compound nouns’ as bedroom, rainfall and washing machine) and
‘compound sentences’ (consisting of two or more main clauses); but other
applications of the term exist, as in ‘compound verbs’ (e.g. come in), ‘compound