Introduction

Compounding is one of the most fertile ways of word formation in Bengali. It is noted that in Bengali new compound words are quite often generated by combining two or more words or stems following the word formation rules and strategies applicable in the language to meet the linguistic needs of the language. In my view, the process of compounding is perhaps the most versatile method of word formation in Bengali, which contributes in a highly fruitful manner to increase the vocabulary of the language.

Keeping the observations made by earlier scholars in sight as well as taking all the questions into consideration, in this chapter, I have made an attempt to present a systematic discussion on strategies and methods adopted in compound words formation in modern Bengali with regard to the changes that take place in the original structures of the constituent words. I have also tried to analyse the surface form of Bengali compound words to show how the formative members are combined together to generate the final forms; if there is a morphophonemic process that underlies this operation; and if the semantic load of the formative members is affected at the time of combining words for generating compounds. To accomplish these goals, I have analysed a large number of compound words retrieved meticulously from the Bengali text corpus database, which is very rich with various types of compound words marked with different forms and meanings. In a step-by-step process, I have discussed various approaches proposed by earlier scholars for treating compound words; referred to some of the earlier studies on Bengali compounds; identified the types of Bengali compounds; defined the form and structure of compound nouns and adjectives: and discussed the concept of headedness with regard to Bengali compound words available in the language.

Approaches for treating compounds

For a long time now, scholars have studied the process of formation of compound words with utmost interest and curiosity. However, most of these studies are primarily descriptive in nature with rare emphasis on formal and generative aspects of compounds.

Introduction

The introduction of several application-oriented domains of linguistics (e.g., lexicography, language teaching, language technology, educational technology, etc.) requires information about the frequency of use of various word-formative elements used in a language. This is required for verification and validation of observations made by earlier scholars about the language in question as well as for developing language teaching materials and designing systems and tools for language technology. Keeping such needs in view, in this chapter, I have tried to assemble some information regarding the frequency and patterns of use of some word-formative elements in Bengali. It is very much necessary to know the frequency of use of various word-formative elements in the language as information of this kind help readers know the basic form and function of the elements based on which one can provide better information about the surface form and formation of the Bengali words in general.

For simplification of understanding, the phrase ‘word formative elements’ has been used in a general sense to include all articles, particles, enclitics, negative markers, emphatic markers, person markers, number markers, gender markers, tense markers, aspect markers, case markers and other linguistic items that are used to produce Bengali words. It is known that all these word-formative elements are used in different orders and sequence, in various ways and manners, at different places of the basic forms to generate the final surface forms of the words. So it is necessary to know in which frequency these formative elements are used; how these are arranged in linear sequential order; and how these elements take part in formation of surface forms of words.

While information about the frequency of use of these elements may provide necessary inputs for describing a language from empirical perspective and for developing an authentic usage-based dictionary the language, information about the patterns of linear arrangement of these elements in formation of words may supply necessary guidance for developing grammars and designing language teaching materials.