9.3. Nouns as noun modifiers

Nouns as modifiers are interpreted according to their semantic relation towards the governing noun. The rule of thumb when assigning a noun modifier a functor is paraphrasing the noun phrase with a prepositional phrase. When any paraphrase is impossible and no other functor seems plausible, the default functor for a noun as modifier is APP (appurtenance) whenever one can paraphrase the semantic relation of X (the governing noun) to Y (the modifier) as: "X has Y". Discussions over concrete data after interannotator-agreement tests have resulted in a table of prototypical cases, which the annotators agreed to interpret with certain functors. We have attempted to group them. The groups have been build purely on the basis of analogy seen by intuition, and rather on the basis of family resemblances than one shared feature. The list is naturally incomplete and subject to constant changes. New data is to be annotated by analogy with this list, which in turn results in changes. The modifiers marked with bold font are the ones that determine the functor themselves, similarly to the adjective modifiers. In all other word combinations it is the governing noun that plays the more important role in assigning the functor of its noun modifier.

Table 8.2. Nouns as noun modifiers and their functors

yesterday, yesterday'sbreadTFRWH 
yesterday, yesterday'smeeting, earthquakeTWHEN 
yesterday, yesterday's dancing partnerTWHEN 
every-year THO 
one-centimeterimprovementDIFF 
trade, consumption, computer, intellectual property, unfair-tradelaw, tax, business, rights, investigationsREG 
shareholderrightsACT 
mortality, interestrate, fraction, percentageMAT 
Vermont, Boston, Boston'sUniversity, InstituteAPP 
boardmeetingACT 
lobster, chocolateconsomme, mousseRSTRraw material + product
future TWHEN 
red-carpettreatmentRSTRlike CPR, but too implicit
tradedeficitREG 
governmentfiguresAPPit is not sure that the government has made them but it has and uses them
trade, bankruptcy, commerce, licensingMinistry, Institute, school, association, court, commission, group, companyREGspecializing in X, concerned with X, in charge of X's cases - but: deaf.APP organization because it is the deaf who organize themselves
"topic"dispute, discussionPATdeverbal nouns
circulation, reorganizationplanPATboth X plans to do y and X plans the details/rates of y.
bankruptcyproceedingsREGbut bankruptcy.PAT report - deverbal noun
electricitydemandPATdeverbal noun (homograph)
operating, tradeefficiencyREG 
tradediplomacyREG 
reorganizationprocessRSTR 
outsidebidderRSTRnot really a local meaning
US Treasury, XY-Company'ssecretary, vicepresidentAPP 
oil, power, chemicalsplant, factory, concern (company)REGproducer of X - not deverbal noun
averagerefundRSTRnot EXT
constructionexpense, cost (cost is not deverbal noun)AIM 
yearstart, end, begin, duration, courseAPPprobably not to be regarded as deverbal nouns
year-to-yearincreaseTHO 
passengercarRSTRproduct designed for x, to do x
controldeviceRSTRproduct designed for x, to do x
motorvehicleRSTRproduct with its main feature
householdapplianceRSTRproduct designed for x, to do x
desktopcomputersRSTRproduct with its main feature
housekeepersystem for PCsRSTR 
diskdrivesRSTR 
holdingcompanyRSTR 
watch, wishlist, survey, review, summaryRSTR 
stiff-tradesanctionsCAUS 
fair-tradeawardCAUS 
video-viewingparlorsAIM 
intellectual-propertycase, instance, example, norm, patternRSTR 
videocassettepiracyRSTR 
votingstockRSTR 
stockholdingRSTRa term
jointventureRSTRa term
debtloadRSTR 
operatingprofitRSTR 
consultingcarreerREG 
compositetradingRSTR 
high-yield, bankdebtRSTRall debts get RSTR
managementgroupREGlike institute when management is focused. When group focused, then APP, when the number of people is focused, then MAT
facultymemberAPP