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1 Chapter 1. Introduction: status and definition of compounding ...

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33.2. Noun+noun <strong>compounding</strong><br />

Although they have received less attention, noun-noun compounds are also common <strong>and</strong><br />

very productive in Mapudungun. (9) gives some examples.<br />

(9) a. mapu-che l<strong>and</strong>-people ‗the mapuche people‘ (EL)<br />

b. mapu-dungun l<strong>and</strong>-words ‗the language <strong>of</strong> the mapuche‘<br />

c. ilo-korü meat-soup ‗soup containing meat‘<br />

d. mamüll-wanglu wood-chair ‗wooden chair‘<br />

e. küna-ruka bird-house ‗birdhouse‘<br />

f. wingka-k<strong>of</strong>ke whiteman-bread ‗European-style bread‘<br />

g. kutran-che sickness-person ‗sick person‘ (Sm: 148)<br />

h. wariya-che town-people ‗townspeople‘<br />

i. pulku-fotilla wine-bottle ‗wine bottle‘ (a particular type <strong>of</strong> bottle)<br />

These are very similar to noun-noun compounds in English <strong>and</strong> other Germanic languages. As<br />

in English, the second noun is the head <strong>of</strong> the construction, <strong>and</strong> the first noun is interpreted as<br />

some kind <strong>of</strong> modifier <strong>of</strong> it. For example, the Mapuche are a kind <strong>of</strong> people who have a special<br />

relationship to the l<strong>and</strong>, not a kind <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong> that relates somehow to people. Also as in English,<br />

the exact semantic relationship between the two parts <strong>of</strong> the compound is underspecified <strong>and</strong> can<br />

cover a broad range <strong>of</strong> meanings.<br />

971

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