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Joined: Oct 2004
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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1 |
Yesterday a friend invited me to watch the sunset with her, and I thought about the word.
It is a construct of a noun and a verb, where each can stand alone, or are a word together, with the same meaning.
Examples that work are: - Sun set - Car wash
Although what doesn't work is: jay walk, bird bath, etc.
Does anyone know the name for this type of word? What other examples can you come up with?
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
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Did you ever see a mountain peak? or a horse fly?  PS Welcome aboard.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475 |
It's a compound word. They're pretty common in English, German, Sanskrit, and other languages. Is the set in sunset a noun? The sunset ~ the setting sun. Perhaps. It's interesting that the resulting compound is a noun and not a verb. In kidnap, it seems to have gone the other way; it's a verb. Maybe not.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
Kidnap as a noun? Could be.
This is a holdup; give us your money.
This is a kidnap; come with us.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,475
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
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Could be.
Sorry, yes. It can be used as a noun, but carwash and sunset cannot be used as verbs in my neck of the Anglosphere.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
Usually you would say "this is a kidnapping!" Making the noun of the verb form and the verb of two nouns. Or rather I hope you wouldn't but I mean someone who ... obviously you aren't the type of person ... [trails off into an embarrassed mumble-e]
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
[trails off into an embarrassed mumble-e]
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Joined: Jan 2004
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jan 2004
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Actually, Zed, I had a hard time saying that the set in sunset is a verb ... trails off mixing it up as he kicks his heels ...
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
Actually, Zed, I had a hard time saying that the set in sunset is a verb ... trails off
But did you trail off into the setting sun?
PS am I the only person who remembers the mountain peak song from childhood? We thought it was very witty at 10 or so years old. The idea was to come up with compound word puns - Did you ever see a mountain peak (peek) did you ever see a horse (noun) fly (verb) etc.
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
like did you ever see a toilet bowl? 
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