复合法是英语主要构词法之一,它将两个或两个以上的词组合起来构成一个具有独立语义的复合词,此类词中,复合名词又是构词能力最强、最常见的一种,它的构成方式有:①形容词+名词(如:hard disk硬盘);②名词+名词(如:bar code条形码);③副词+名词(如:upgrade升级);④动名词+名词(如:reading lamp台灯);⑤现在分词+名词(如:floating bridge浮桥);⑥动词+名词(如:breakwater防浪堤);⑦名词+动词(如:nightfall黄昏);⑧动词+副词(如:show-off炫耀);⑨副词+动词(如:downfall垮台).

　　复合名词的组成部分之间的句法关系主要有以下几种:

　　1. 限定关系:freezing point(凝固点freeze at a point), sun bathing(日光浴bathe in the sun), city dweller(城市居民dwell in the city), gun fight(枪战fight with a gun)

　　2. 主谓关系: rattle snake(响尾蛇The snake rattles.),tug boat(拖船The boat tugs.), investigating committee(调查委员会The committee investigates.), heart beat(心搏The heart beats.)

　　3. 动宾关系:pick pocket(扒手to pick other's pocket), stock holder(股东to hold stock), scarecrow(稻草人to scare crows), city-planning(城市规划to plan the city)

　　4. 主宾关系:sugar cane(甘蔗The cane yields sugar.),steam engine(蒸汽机Steam powers the engine.)

　　5. 并列关系:deaf-mute(聋哑人deaf and mute),addersubtracter(加减器adder and subtracter)

　　6. 同位关系:killer whale(逆戟鲸The whale is a killer.), man secretary(男秘书The secretary is a man.),peasant girl(乡村女孩The girl is a peasant.), child star(童星The star is a child.)

　　复合名词的两个组成成分之间存在着一定的语义关系,掌握这一关系对于正确理解和记忆复合名词是很有帮助的.为了方便介绍复合名词内部的语义关系,笔者将构成复合名词的两个成分分别标明为A和B,前一成分为A,后一成分为B.复合名词的两个组成成分之间主要存在以下几种关系:

　　1. A是说明B的种类。如:

　　flower garden(花园garden of flowers)

　　kitchen garden(菜园garden of vegetables used in the kitchen)

　　nursery garden(苗圃garden of plants)

　　fruit garden(果园 garden of fruits)

　　market garden(商业菜园garden of vegetables to be sold in the market)

　　2. A是说明B的用途。如:

　　office building(办公楼building for office)

　　reception room(接待室room for reception)

　　conference room(会议室room for conference)

　　travel agency(旅行社agency for travel)

　　football ground(足球场ground for playing football)

　　3. A是说明B的时间。如:

　　day dream (白日梦dream in the day)

　　morning news(早间新闻news in themorning)

　　evening school(夜校school in the evening)

　　night bird (夜出活动的鸟,习惯晚睡的人bird coming out at night)

　　summer house (避暑别墅house for summer)

　　4. A是说明B的所使用或所在或所来自的地方。如:

　　airport bus(机场公共汽车bus from the airport)

　　college library (大学图书馆library at the college)

　　kitchen sink(厨房水槽sink in the kitchen)

　　newspaper article (新闻文章article in the newspaper)

　　5. A是说明B所使用的材料或燃料。如:

　　tomato soup(西红柿汤soup made of tomato)

　　iron bridge (铁桥bridge made of iron)

　　silk stockings (丝袜stockings made of silk)

　　6. B是由A驱动的。如:

　　air brake (气闸, 风闸brake powered by air)

　　air rifle (气枪rifle powered by air)

　　hydrogen bomb(氢弹bomb powered by hydrogen)

　　windmill (风车mill powered by wind)

　　steamboat(汽船,轮船boat powered by steam)

　　7. A是由B生产出来的。如:

　　power plant(发电厂, 发电站The plant produces power.)

　　textile mill(纺织厂The mill produces textiles.)

　　toy factory (玩具厂The factory produces toys.)

　　honeybee (蜜蜂The bee produces honey.)

　　8. B是由A生产出来的。如:

　　blood stain(血渍stain produced by blood)

　　saw dust (锯木灰dust made by the saw)

　　gaslight (煤气灯light made by gas)

　　9. A拥有B。如:

　　arrow head (箭头The arrow has a head.)

　　piano keys (钢琴键The piano has keys.)

　　telephone receiver (电话听筒The telephone has a receiver.)

　　television screen(电视荧光屏The television has a screen.)

　　10. B是A, 或B是A的状态。如:

　　man servant (男仆The servant is a man.)

　　drummer boy (鼓手The boy is a drummer.)

　　blueprint (蓝图The print is blue.)

　　darkroom (暗室The room is dark.)

　　11. B像A。如:

　　batman(传令兵, 勤务员The man is like a bat.)

　　dragonfly (蜻蜓The fly is like a dragon.)

　　frogman (蛙人The man is like a frog.)

　　goldfish (金鱼The fish is like gold.)

　　12. B是由A组成的。如:

　　bread crumb(面包碎屑crumb made of bread)

　　chocolate bar(巧克力块bar made of chocolate)

　　snowflake (雪花flake made of snow)

　　13. A是说明B里所涉及的内容。如:

　　adult education(成人教育education for adults)

　　child psychology (儿童心理学psychology about children)

　　animal psychology (动物心理学psychology about animals)

　　(文/谢艳明; 英语通大学英语四级考试版2004年第5期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)