Mediating functions and the semantics of noun incorporation

Abstract Noun incorporation is commonly thought to avoid the weak compositionality of compounds because it involves conjunction an argument noun with incorporating verb. However, weakly compositional in two ways. First, noun’s entity needs be bound or saturated, but previous accounts fail adequately ensure that is. Second, non-arguments are often incorporated many languages, and their thematic role available for contextual selection. We show these weaknesses actually linked. focus on Kiowa language, which generally bars objects from allows non-arguments. a mediating relation required semantically link Absent relation, not entire expression uninterpretable. The non-objects also assigns instead postposition. Speakers can choose this freely, subject independent constraints pragmatics, syntax, semantics. Objects fact allowed incorporate certain environments, we all independently involve relation. quantifies over links noun+verb construction rest clause. head introduces re-categorizes verb syntactic derivation. Essentially, demonstrate distinct mechanisms incorporation. Having derived distribution Kiowa, apply same relations derive English complex verbs synthetic compounds, exhibit most as look at languages routine object incorporation, how transitivity depends whether "Equation missing" introducing external case re-categorized