Compound nouns in German youth vocabulary

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Department of Foreign Languages and Country Studies of the Faculty of Tourism

Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University

Compound nouns in german youth vocabulary

Pozdniakov O.V.

Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor,

Associate Professor

Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

Abstract

The article is devoted to the structural and semantic analysis of compound nouns in German youth vocabulary. Compounding is a productive means of forming new lexical units in German language in general and its subsystems in particular. The author studies young people's vocabulary recorded in modern lexicographic sources. Most of the analyzed compound nouns consist of two stems. However, there are lexical units formed by compounding three stems. In the process of forming compound nouns in youth vocabulary a small number of word-building models are used. It is caused by the secondary nature of the analyzed language subsystem. Metaphorization is a characteristic feature in the process of compounding. It is regarded as a convenient means to express creativity and originality. Metaphorized words have positive or negative connotation and are used for verbal self-identification. In this way youth vocabulary is opposed to colloquial and literary styles of German language. The morphologic structure of compound nouns can also include word-building morphemes. Suffixes are the most productive type of these morphemes. They are used to point to young people's subjective attitude to the everyday world. A number of compounds are stylistically invectives. They reflect young people's need for uniqueness ad opposition. Most frequent types of semantic relations between stems of compounds are singled out. It has been established that these relations are extralingually determined. Loanwords borrowed from American English represent a significant share of the analyzed vocabulary. The use of these words is determined by the subcultural influence. These lexical units can be formed by combining English and German stems. Metaphorization is typical for formation of the given compounds. Social, age, and subcultural factors play an important role in creating German youth vocabulary. Young people try to express subjective assessment, irony. They also tend to verbal sel-identication among other representatives of German-speaking community. Therefore, the analyzed vocabulary is characterized by pragmatic efficiency and is often preferred to attract attention of communicative partners.

Key words: word-building model, syntactic category, morphological structure, semantic relations, wordbuilding morpheme, metaphorization, loanwords, subcultural values.

Анотація

СКЛАДНІ ІМЕННИКИ В НІМЕЦЬКІЙ МОЛОДІЖНІЙ ЛЕКСИЦІ

Поздняков О. В. кандидат філологічних наук, доцент, доцент кафедри іноземних мов і країнознавства факультету туризму

Прикарпатський національний університет імені Василя Стефаника Івано-Франківськ, Україна

Стаття присвячена структурному та семантичному аналізу складних іменників у німецькій лексиці молоді. Словоскладання є продуктивним шляхом формування нових лексичних одиниць німецької мови загалом та її підсистем зокрема. Автор досліджує словниковий запас молоді, зафіксований у сучасних лексикографічних джерелах. Більшість аналізованих складних іменників є двоосновними. Також зафіксовано лексичні одиниці, утворені складанням трьох основ. У процесі утворення складних іменників у молодіжній лексиці використовується незначна кількість словотвірних моделей. Це зумовлено вторинністю аналізованої мовної підсистеми. Характерною для словоскладання є метафоризація. Остання розглядається як зручний засіб для реалізації креативності та оригінальності. Метафоризовані слова мають позитивне чи негативне семантичне забарвлення і вживаються для вербальної самоідентифікації. Таким чином, молодіжна лексика протиставляється розмовному та літературному варіантам німецької мови. Морфологічна структура складних іменників також може включати словотвірні морфеми. їх найпродуктивнішим типом є суфікси. Вони зазвичай підкреслюють суб'єктивне ставлення молоді до повсякденного світу. Низка досліджуваних основ характеризуються стилістичною зниженістю, демонструючи потребу молодих людей у неповторності та протиставленні. Виокремлено найпоширеніші типи семантичних відношень між основами. Встановлено позамовну детермінованість цих відношень. Значну частину аналізованого вокабуляра становлять англо-американізми. Вживання цих слів визначається субкультурним впливом. Ці лексичні одиниці можуть бути утворені поєднанням англійських та німецьких основ. Для їх утворення притаманна метафоризація. Соціальні, вікові та субкультурні чинники відіграють важливу роль у формуванні німецької молодіжної лексики. Молоді люди прагнуть вираження суб'єктивної оцінки, іронії. Вони також схильні до вербальної самоідентифікації серед інших представників німецькомовної спільноти. Тому досліджуваний вокабуляр характеризується прагматичною ефективністю і часто використовується для привернення уваги комунікативних партнерів.

Ключові слова: словотвірна модель, синтаксична категорія, морфологічна будова, семантичні відношення, словотвірна морфема, метафоризація, запозичення, субкультурі цінності.

Formulation of the problem

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing role of youth vocabulary in the communication process of German-speaking community. This results in the growing interest in the given linguistic phenomenon in modern German studies.

Youth vocabulary represents a system of lexical units that are typical for communication of members of a corresponding social and age group. These words express main values of their active users and often have subcultural implication. Nouns represent main syntactic category that forms the core of the given vocabulary.

Word-building is considered one of the most productive ways of forming new lexical units in German language [4, p. 32]. This relates to both standard German and other language subsystems, in particular youth vocabulary.

In modern German studies, there are several classifications of compounds. Using morphological criterion means that syntactic category and grammatical characteristics of the compound word are determined by its last component. These lexical units have different morphological structure in accordance with a particular word-building model [1, p. 39]. The semantic-syntactical classification analyzes compounds in terms of their structure taking into account semantic relations between the components. This type of classification is often preferred by Ukrainian Germanists.

The aim of the article is to establish the key features of conpounding in German youth vocabulary on the example of compound nouns.

However, given that the studied lexical units are formed under the influence of various subcultures, which are an important means of young people's self-identification in the German-speaking community, we consider it necessary to take into account their subcultural implication.

The subject of research is quantitative and qualitative description of compounding in German youth vocabulary, and establishing the role of social, age, and subcultural factors in this process.

The object of research is represented by compound nouns of the above-mentioned subsystem of German language.

Thus, the material used for our study is a sample from dictionaries of German youth vocabulary [8; 10; 13].

Analysis of recent research and publications

A number of Germanists claim that the analyzed linguistic phenomenon has its own features of compounding [5; 6; 7; 11; 14]. On the one hand, youth vocabulary is a part of the complex system of German language. That is why it includes commonly used word-building models. On the other hand, this language subsystem is a means of communication of a particular social and age group. Consequently, nominative processes reflect peculiarities of personality development taking into consideration the impact of subcultural environment.

Scientific novelty of the article is that a comprehensive description of forming compound nouns in the vocabulary of German youth is made in terms of its extralingual conditionality. For this purpose, we use modern lexicographic sources. The study is conducted by combining the theoretical basis of fundamental works on lexicology of the German language [3; 4; 9] with the latest approaches in research of youth vocabulary.

Results and discussion

The results of the research have shown that most of the analyzed compound nouns consist of two stems. This morphological structure is typical for the words of the given syntactic category (Suppenkoma - Zustand der Mitarbeiter nach dem Besuch der Betriebskantine, wenn sie sich im Meeting wieder zusammen finden; Killerspiel - verbreitete, negative Bezeichnung fьr gewalthaltige Spiel).

However, there are a number of lexical units that are formed by compounding three stems. These words belong to different thematic groups. They can be both synonyms of commonly used vocabulary (Hopfenblьtentee - Synonym fьr Bier) and refer to modern social, cultural, and technical phenomena (Vorratsdatenspeicherung - die Verpflichtung der Anbieter von Telekommunikationsdiensten zur Registrierung von elektronischen Kommunikationsvorgдngen, ohne dass ein Anfangsverdacht oder konkrete Hinweise auf Gefahren bestehen).

There are a small number of word-building models specific to forming youth vocabulary. We consider the main reason for this is that the above-mentioned language subsystem has secondary nature to standard German.

For compounding nouns in youth vocabulary the following word-building models are productive:

n + n (Menschenkino - Beobachten der Passanten und des Treibens in der nдheren Umgebung, wдhrend man selbst im StraЯencafй o.д. sitzt);

v + n (Kuschelwetter - Wetter, dass sich durch spezielle Temperatur- und Niederschlagseigenschaft dazu eignet, mit anderen Menschen engen Kцrperkontakt einzugehen);

adj + n (Fernbeziehung - wenn Liebende in unterschiedlichen Stдdten (oder sogar Lдndern) leben).

Formation of compound nouns that consist of three stems is characterized by the frequent use of two word-building models:

n + n + n (Parkbanphilosoph - Obdachloser);

adj + v + n (SchnellscheiЯerhose - Hose mit tief sitzendem Bund).

The process of compounding is often accompanied by metaphorization processes. We think it is determined by creativity and sense of humor inherent to the representatives of the studied social and age group [2, p. 97]. In this way youth vocabulary is opposed to colloquial and literary styles of German language. On the other hand, these lexical units are used as an efficient means of self-identification (Laufhaus - Bordell, in dem Prostituierte ein Zimmer angemietet haben und bei geцffneter Tьr auf Freier warten; Eisenhцlle - Fitnesscenter mit Schwerpunkt auf Bodybuilding, d.h. reine Muskelaufbaugerдte wie Hanteln und Gewichte dominieren die Ausstattung. Treffpunkt fьr Bodybuilder und Muskelfanatiker, grцЯtensteils Mдnner).

Most compound nouns with metaphorized stems include judgemental component in their semantic structure. These words usually have positive or negative connotation (Spassbremse - eine Person, die entgegen einer Gruppendynamik handelt und sich in der jeweiligen Situation gegen das Vorhaben der Gruppe entscheidet und so den Spass verdirbt).

As a rule, the second stem is metaphorized. This stem makes the head of the compound determining its semantic category (Achselhamster - Achselbehaarung; Futternarkose - Zustand, wenn man nach einer ausgiebigen (Fastfood) Mahlzeit sehr trдge wird).

However, there are also semantic transformations of the first stem. These lexical units reflect features of young speakers' worldview and values demonstrating their attitude to various styles and other traditional issues (Haremshose - Damen-Stoffhose, die sich durch ihre 3/4-Lдnge und einen tiefhдngenden Schritt auszeichnet, der an einen Rock erinnert; Hausfrauenrock - schnulzige, poppige Rockmusik). The given examples show the role of compounding in creating new words out of old [12, p. 15].

It can be stated that a significant number of analyzed compounds include such type of word-building morphemes as suffix. A productive suffix is -er. In youth vocabulary, it is used to form compound nouns that refer to both things (Klapprechner - Laptop oder Notebook) and people (Hautstдnder - ein sehr dьnner Mensch ohne Muskeln).

A number of words are formed of stems that have suffixes -tion (Auktionskultur - Kaufen und Verkaufen von Dingen im Internet) and -ung (Anreizregulierung - Methode, um Betreibern von Energieversorgungsnetzen Anreize fьr eine effiziente Leistungserbringung zu setzen). These word-building morphemes are productive for creating lexical units of colloquial and literary styles. This is yet another proof that youth vocabulary is a part of a complex system of modern German.

Using diminutive suffix -chen is both frequent and productive (Datenzдpfchen - Synonym fьr USB-Spei- cher-Stick). These nouns express irony and subjective assessment referring to things that are of particular importance for young people (Pдrchenterror - die Omniprдsenz glьcklicher Paare, die besonders im Frьhling hervorkommen und die Parks, Cafes und Ikeas dieser Welt knutschend, kuschelnd und hдndchenhaltend fьr sich vereinnahmen).

A productive modifier for compounding nouns in youth vocabulary is Voll- (Vollpfosten - Mensch, bevorzugt mдnnlich, der ьber beschrдnkte intellektuelle Fдhigkeiten verfьgt, den also bezьglich der Intelligenz nichts von einem aufragenden Stьck Holz unterscheidet). By means of this component, young speakers emphasize their subjective attitude which is often exaggerated (Vollspaten - extrem hinterweltlerische/idiotische Menschen; lдsst sich in etwa mit dem Wort «Vollidiot» gleichsetzen). semantic complex noun lexical

The results of the analysis of lexicographic sources have shown the existence of stems that are especially productive in word-building processes providing a basis for creating a number of compounds. Their «popularity» mainly derives from the interst of young people in certain social phenomena («Abwrack»: Abwrackprдmie - Umweltprдmie, die das Bundeskabinett am 27.01.2009 als Richtlinie zur

Fцrderung des Absatzes von Personenkraftwagen beschlossen hat; Abwrackfieber - exzessive Ausnutzung der Abwrackprдmie und ihre Ausweitung auf andere Bereiche als die Autoindustrie).

Some of these stems are stylistically invectives. We believe their use in compounding process is caused by young people's need for identifying themselves among other representatives of German-speaking community. Fress- is one of such productive roots (Fressnarkose - setzt kurz nach einer sehr ьppigen Mahlzeit ein und versetzt die betreffende Person in einen komatцsen Zustand; FreЯstarre - дuЯert sich in Form von massiver physischer und geistiger Trдgheit).

Semantic relations between stems of compounds are determined by the specific features of the studied language subsystem. The main role in this case is played by extralingual conditionality of youth vocabulary that is focused on the relevant thematic groups.

As a result of our research, we have singled out most frequent types of semantic relations between the head and the modifier of the compound:

objective (Augenkrebs - wenn man grelle Farben, Kostьme, etc sieht, die einem unertrдglich erscheinen);

characteristic (Brцtchenfleisch - das innere eines Brцtchens, also den Teig, ohne Rand, der sich oft beim aufschneiden herauslцst);

activity (Jobnomade - Berufstдtige, die von Job zu Job hьpfen);

purpose (Studienkredit - Darlehen zur Finanzierung des Studiums).

We see the main reason for the dominance of the above-mentionen semantic relations in the influence of subcultural surroundings and activities that determine the development of German youth communication in general.

A significant share of the analyzed compound nouns is represented by loanwords borrowed from American English which is regarded as one of the main sources to enrich German youth vocabulary [5, p. 374] (Kiddyboard - kleines Rollbrett, das man am Kinderwagen festschrauben kann).

The use of these words is determined by the subcultural influence. Belonging to a certail subcultural style is a very important part of young people's life. Therefore, they prefer the use of borrowed vocabulary to name people, things and activities (Freehos- ter - kostenloser Anbieter von Webspace).

Loanwords are also characterized by semantic transformation, in particular by metaphorization (Screenager - Jugendliche, die einen GroЯteil ihrer Zeit vor dem Bildschirm verbringen).

Compound nouns recorded in the analyzed lexicographic sources have different structure in terms of combining German and English stems (Castingopfer - Menschen, die in Casting-Shows mitmachen und sich mit einer schlechten Leistung blamieren). We have singled out the following types of their «modifier - head» combination:

English modifier + German head (Singlebцrse - Partnersuche durch das Internet);

German modifier + English head (Weizenspoiler - dicker Bierbauch);

both modifier and head are English (Armchairshopping - im Sessel sitzend ьber das Fernsehen einkaufen).

Conclusions and further prospects of research

Given the social and age conditionality of nominative processes in German youth vocabulary, it could be stated that compounding is determined by the wish of young speakers to subjectively assess their environment by clarifying specific features of things and people (Fleischmьtze - Glatzkopf).

Many analyzed words have more complex morphological structure in comparison with corresponding lexical units of standard German. This is offset by pragmatic efficiency of the given compounds. In this way young people attract attention of communicative partners. The communicative value of the use of the given nouns is also achieved by the fact that they express the above-mentioned subjective assessment. This helps to make the message more explicit and personal (Schamhaarschдdel - kurzer, lockiger, hдsslicher Haarschnitt).

The results of the study could be used for description of other word-building models in German youth vocabulary.

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