Set phrase
A set phrase is an expression (i.e. term or phrase) whose parts are fixed. There might be other ways to express the idea of a set phrase in language, but it is marked to do so.
Two-word set phrases represent an early form of noun compounding, signalled solely through word stress. In English compounds, stress rules for nouns place stress away from the end (i.e., not on the last syllable). Following this pattern, compound nouns receive stress on the first word in the compound, not the last: ˡsomething, ˡgreenhouse, ˡmousetrap.
Set phrases, as spelled, retain the conventional space separating words. These separated written words are indistinguishable from descriptive phrases comprised of an unstressed adjective that modifies a stressed noun. As pronounced, however, the first word in a two-word set phrase is stressed. Examples of set phrases are listed below.
Set phrases whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts are known as idioms.
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Examples of Set Phrases
- ˡceiling fan
- comˡputer screen
- ˡdinner table
- ˡstyle manual
- ˡbook review
Spaces and containers
Base words that have spatial or container semantic content frequently combine as set phrases: room, office, box, bag
- ˡplant room
- ˡconference room
- ˡnews room
- ˡsewing room
- ˡtax office
- ˡlunch box
- ˡsports bag
- reˡtirement package ("package" here is a metaphorical container)
-ing Action spaces
Action-based "ing" words when combined with nouns representing spaces and/or containers frequently trigger set phrase stress.
- examining room
- moving van
- starting place
- eating place
Phrases receiving descriptive stress (Adj./Noun)
Certain commonly combined words appear to be fixed as set phrases. Yet spoken stress follows the Adjective/Noun pattern.
- only ˡchild - He is an only ˡchild. ( vs. He is the only ˡchild I know)
- set ˡphrase - The linguist identified the newest set ˡphrase in the language.
- front ˡpage - The photo was on the front ˡpage.
- human ˡbeing - She's a nice human ˡbeing.
- lost opporˡtunity - That may be a lost opporˡtunity.
See also
Categories
Linguistics