This document discusses compound verbs in English and how they are formed and used. It notes that compound verbs are typically composed of a preposition and a verb, though can also be formed from other combinations like an adjective and verb. The terms "compound verb" and "phrasal verb" are distinguished, with compound verbs having a literal meaning and phrasal verbs being idiomatic or figurative. Finally, common misuses of the term "compound verb" are identified, such as using it instead of "complex verb", "verb phrase", or "phrasal verb".
This document discusses compound verbs in English and how they are formed and used. It notes that compound verbs are typically composed of a preposition and a verb, though can also be formed from other combinations like an adjective and verb. The terms "compound verb" and "phrasal verb" are distinguished, with compound verbs having a literal meaning and phrasal verbs being idiomatic or figurative. Finally, common misuses of the term "compound verb" are identified, such as using it instead of "complex verb", "verb phrase", or "phrasal verb".
This document discusses compound verbs in English and how they are formed and used. It notes that compound verbs are typically composed of a preposition and a verb, though can also be formed from other combinations like an adjective and verb. The terms "compound verb" and "phrasal verb" are distinguished, with compound verbs having a literal meaning and phrasal verbs being idiomatic or figurative. Finally, common misuses of the term "compound verb" are identified, such as using it instead of "complex verb", "verb phrase", or "phrasal verb".
This document discusses compound verbs in English and how they are formed and used. It notes that compound verbs are typically composed of a preposition and a verb, though can also be formed from other combinations like an adjective and verb. The terms "compound verb" and "phrasal verb" are distinguished, with compound verbs having a literal meaning and phrasal verbs being idiomatic or figurative. Finally, common misuses of the term "compound verb" are identified, such as using it instead of "complex verb", "verb phrase", or "phrasal verb".
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Hyphens in Compound verbs
modifier
head
examples
preposition
verb
overrate, underline, outrun
adverb
verb
downsize, upgrade
adjective
verb
whitewash, blacklist, foulmouth
noun
verb
browbeat, sidestep, manhandle
preposition
noun
out-Herod, out-fox
A compound verb is usually composed of a preposition and a verb, although other combinations also exist. The term compound verb was first used in publication in Grattan and Gurrey's Our Living Language (1925). From a morphological point of view, some compound verbs are difficult to analyze because several derivations are plausible. Blacklist, for instance, might be analyzed as an adjective+verb compound, or as an adjective+noun compound that becomes a verb through zero derivation. Most compound verbs originally have the collective meaning of both components, but some of them later gain additional meanings that may supersede the original, emergent sense. Therefore, sometimes the resultant meanings are seemingly barely related to the original contributors. Compound verbs composed of a noun and verb are comparatively rare, and the noun is generally not the direct object of the verb. In English, compounds such as *bread-bake or *car-drive do not exist. Yet, we find literal action words, such as breastfeed, and washing instructions on clothing as for example hand wash.
Hyphenation Compound verbs with single-syllable modifiers are solid, or unhyphenated. Those with longer modifiers may originally be hyphenated, but as they became established, they became solid, e.g.,
overhang (English origin)
counterattack (Latin origin)
There was a tendency in the 18th century to use hyphens excessively, that is, to hyphenate all previously established solid compound verbs. American English, however, has diminished the use of hyphens, while British English is more conservative.
Phrasal verbs English syntax distinguishes between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs. Consider the following: I held up my hand. I held up a bank. I held my hand up.
*I held a bank up.
The first three sentences are possible in English; the last one is unlikely. When to hold up means to raise, it is a prepositional verb; the preposition up can be detached from the verb and has its own individual meaning "from lower to a higher position". As a prepositional verb, it has a literal meaning. However, when to hold up means to rob, it is a phrasal verb. A phrasal verb is used in an idiomatic, figurative or even metaphorical context. The preposition is inextricably linked to the verb; the meaning of each word cannot be determined independently but is in fact part of the idiom. The Oxford English Grammar distinguishes seven types of prepositional or phrasal verbs in English:
intransitive phrasal verbs (e.g. give in)
transitive phrasal verbs (e.g. find out [discover])
monotransitive prepositional verbs (e.g. look after [care for])
doubly transitive prepositional verbs (e.g. blame [something] on [someone])
copular prepositional verbs. (e.g. serve as)
monotransitive phrasal-prepositional verbs (e.g. look up to [respect])
doubly transitive phrasal-prepositional verbs (e.g. put [something] down to [someone]
[attribute to])
English has a number of other kinds of compound verb idioms. There are compound verbs with two verbs (e.g. make do). These too can take idiomatic prepositions (e.g. get rid of). There are also idiomatic combinations of verb and adjective (e.g. come true, run amok) and verb and adverb (make sure), verb and fixed noun (e.g. go ape); and these, too, may have fixed idiomatic prepositions (e.g. take place on).
Misuses of the term
"Compound verb" is often used in place of: 1. "complex verb", a type of complex phrase. But this usage is not accepted in linguistics, because "compound" and "complex" are not synonymous. 2. "verb phrase" or "verbal phrase". This is a partially, but not entirely, incorrect use. A phrasal verb can be a one-word verb, of which compound verb is a type. However, many phrasal verbs are multi-word.
3. "phrasal verb". A sub-type of verb phrase, which have a particle as a word before or after the verb. **************************************
