Definition
Exocentric compounds are forms or words which do not have a head. This means that there is not one morphological segment that contributes the core meaning, and instead the meaning is comprised of all components together.
Examples
- Secwepemctsín:
- Gibson (1973, p. 39) provides several examples of compounds found in Secwepemctsín that do not have an overt head. Some of these are illustrated in the following examples:
- nćeʔsqáx̩aʔ ‘horse‘
- Composed of the morphemes for ‘on’ + ‘dog’ + ‘permanent’ (n + ćmˈʔ + sqáx̩a + -ʔ)
- It can be observed from the morphemes that there is not one single head and instead the meaning is derived from all morphemes combined.
- qumút ‘hat‘
- Composed of the morphemes for ‘terminus’ + ‘sit‘ (qin + mút)
- nćeʔsqáx̩aʔ ‘horse‘
- Gibson (1973, p. 39) provides several examples of compounds found in Secwepemctsín that do not have an overt head. Some of these are illustrated in the following examples:
INLP Linguistic Glossary 