Martha McGinnis: Noun Compounding Question (reply to Alec Marantz)

[Martha McGinnis]

>That is, when we see the "-s-" in a German compound, how do we know that in
>at least some of the cases this isn't the plural "-s-" (or, given Rolf's
>discussion, at least as much the plural -s- as the plural -er- would be
>when it appears in compounds).  My understanding, which can't be right, is
>that people say that, since -s- occurs with nouns that don't take plural
>-s, all -s-'s in compounds, even with nouns that do take plural -s, can't
>be the plural -s.  What am I missing (other than any knowledge of German,
>which ignorance I'm aware of)?

The response I've gotten to this question in that past is that it's
also a matter of semantics.  For example, "Hundemüde" doesn't mean
"as tired as dogs," but "as tired as a dog".  I'm not sure I'm
convinced, but there might be better examples than that one.


mcginnis at ucalgary.ca