PHRASE WORD

PHRASE WORD. An occasional term in WORD-FORMATION for a WORD formed from a PHRASE. There are at least six types: (1) Attributive phrase words, as italicized in ‘a state-of-the-art description’ (more below). (2) Nouns followed by prepositions and other nouns, on the model of certain French COMPOUND WORDS, as in man-at-arms and tug-of-war (more below). (3) Phrases turned into lexical bases by the addition of suffixes, as in never-say-die-ism and state-of-the-artistry. (4) Stunt formations of various kinds, such as whodun(n)it, the informal name for a murder mystery, and its derivative whodunitry, the activity of preducing such books. (5) Such vague words as whatchamacallit and BrE thingummyjig, AmE thingamajig. (6) PHRASAL VERBS and their noun derivatives: get together (‘They got together and discussed the matter’); a get-together (‘I enjoy these family get-togethers’).

Attributive phrase words

There are as many attributive phrase words as there are types of phrase. They are often based on idioms, proverbs, and common expressions (run of the mill in ‘a run-of-the-mill TV show’), or cover a concept or situation (‘the arms-to-Iran-for-hostages-plus-money-for-the-“contras” scandal’). Their orthography is diverse. They may be linked by hyphens, (which is probably the general rule), enclosed in quotation marks, capitalized, a mix of these, or left as straight phrases. In writing, an attempt is usually made to highlight such phrase words visually. In speech, they may be spoken quickly and deliberately as a unit. The lists which follow (taken from 1980s citations without major changes in their printed forms) cover the main types:

Noun-based.

An able-baker-charlie-dog sequence; a Hound of the Baskervilles image; a ‘Power of the Human Mind’ theory.

Verb-based.

(1) Infinitive: a made-to-measure suit; ready-to-wear clothes; right-to-die legislation. (2) Participial: the ‘standing up for America’ syndrome; the having-your-cake-and-eating-it-too category; dyed-to-match co-ordinates. (3) Modal: a must-win context; more a will-try than a can-do situation.

Adjective-based.

A ‘best-buy’ computer system; ‘good news, bad news’ jokes; a ‘good news’ newspaper; stiff-upper-lip Brits; a larger-than-life picture; a holier-than-thou approach.

Number-based.

A seven-days-a-week service; a three-week vacation; a 40-pound weight; a three-year-old boy; a 1989 Audi Quattro.

Preposition-based.

(1) Preposition first: behind-the-scenes information peddling; over-the-counter medication; round-the-clock surveillance. (2) Preposition midway: a back to the land movement; the signal-to-noise ratio; a rags-to-riches story; an Aid-to-El Salvador group; hole-in-the-corner affairs; a balance-of-payments problem; an end-of-May opening date; a made-for-TV movie; a once-upon-a-time story.

Coordination-based.

An ‘accuse and demand’ approach; a down-and-out alcoholic; hit-and-run drivers; an open-and-shut case; a rock-and-roll eccentric; a ‘them’ and ‘us’ mentality; a tough-but-vulnerable look.

Wh-words-based.

You-know-who; a ‘what-if’ question; a what-went-wrong puzzle; how-to-massage books; that how-do-I-get-out-of-here feeling.

Negation-based.

A no-man's-land; a no-win situation; a won't-go-away loneliness; a nobody-cares feeling.

Phrase words on the French model

One variety of French mot composé (compound word) is phrasal in form and joins nouns by means of a preposition: pomme de terre potato, arc-en-ciel rainbow, English acquired this pattern through Norman French: editor-in-chief (compare French rédacteur-en-chef). Common usages: brothers-in-arms, cost of living, jack-in-the-box, man-at-arms, man-of-war, poet-in-residence, president-for-life. Stunt variations include: computer-on-a-chip, cynic-in-residence, hamburgers-on-the-hoof (beef cattle), trainee-in-terror. See STUNT WORD.