Redundant compounds in the domain of human body parts

Wiltrud Mihatsch

Redundant compounds such as eyebrow that are synonymous with one of their components surface now and then in general literature on morphology and etymology, in reference grammars or even in style manuals. They are usually described as a rather marginal and peculiar phenomenon.

The Tübingen project "Lexical Change – Polygenesis – Cognitive Constants: The Human Body" (/sfb441/b6/) has collected paths of lexical change in the domain of body parts in over 30 languages of the world so far. One important feature of the project is the systematicity of its approach to lexical change, all three dimensions of change, semantic, morphological as well as contact-induced change, are taken into account. This method has helped to reveal more redundant compounds than expected, especially in certain domains such as eyebrow/ eyelash/ eyelid. The aim of this talk is to discuss the different types of redundant compounds, their motivations, as well the similarities and differences of related phenomena such as folk etymology. Both redundant compounds and folk etymology run counter to the far more frequent process of univerbation in the lexicon.

In order to round off the picture, similar phenomena in derivation, inflection and syntax will be presented.