From structure to meaning: a lexical semantic framework for Urdu compounding

Abstract

Urdu, a rich Indo-Aryan language, relies extensively on derivational and inflectional processes for lexical expansion. Compounding, a pivotal word-formation process, has received a limited scholarly focus despite its central role in Urdu’s linguistic complexity. This study investigates compounding in Urdu by employing Lieber’s Lexical Semantic Framework (LSF) to examine its semantic and morphological dimensions. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, the study analyzes 30 purposively sampled compounds from The Express newspaper and Feroz-ul-Lughat dictionary, representing prevalent morphological patterns such as noun-noun (N + N), noun-adjective (N + Adj), and noun-verb (N + V) structures. The findings demonstrate LSF’s adaptability to Urdu, uncovering transparency and opacity in semantic relationships. A unique pattern of argumental compounding emerges, where constituent elements interact to create culturally resonant meanings. Furthermore, the analysis reveals compound-specific innovations in Urdu, diverging from conventional typologies, and enriching the theoretical understanding of lexical semantics. These findings have significant implications for natural language processing (NLP), especially in enhancing machine translation and text analysis tools for Urdu. This study contributes to the broader linguistic discourse by showcasing the complex interaction of morphology and semantics in Urdu, while also providing a methodological model for analyzing resource-poor languages. Future research could explore the role of sociolinguistic factors and regional influences in compounding processes, deepening the understanding of word formation in Urdu and related languages.