The Word-Formation Dictionary of Compounds in Slovak is a lexicographic project designed to capture and systematize information about the word-formation structure of Slovak lexical units, with a specific focus on compounds. Unlike general explanatory dictionaries, which primarily describe pronunciation, spelling, inflection, stylistic value, and lexical meaning, this dictionary is centered on word-formation motivation and on the formal–semantic relations that underpin the creation of new lexical items in Slovak.

Word-formation motivation as a lexicographic principle

The dictionary is based on the theoretical approach developed by Juraj Furdík, in which word-formation motivation is treated as a key systemic principle of the lexicon and as a synchronic, language-user-accessible explanation of naming. In this view, motivated vocabulary forms a substantial part of Slovak, and word-formation motivation occupies a central position among lexical motivations. Quantitative estimates in Slovak linguistics indicate that motivated words represent a very large proportion of the lexicon, which makes word formation essential not only for theoretical description but also for lexicographic practice.

Focus on compounds

The dictionary describes word-formation motivated lexical units created by composition, i.e., by combining bases into compound structures. In such units, the motivational relationship is typically not limited to a pair of items (motivating → motivated), but extends to more complex formal and semantic dependencies among multiple elements. The dictionary captures these dependencies explicitly: it identifies the motivating components, describes how they are structurally combined, and records the resulting word-formation meaning. The dictionary contains 3,351 compounds, compiled on the basis of an established Slovak lexical resource. Its scope is intentionally limited to compounds in order to allow a consistent and detailed treatment of this word-formation domain and to provide a solid foundation for further extensions of word-formation lexicography in Slovak.

Model, parameters, and electronic processing

Furdík’s concept of word-formation lexicography proposed a highly detailed model in which each motivated word is described through a broad set of parameters. While this approach enables a comprehensive description of the word-formation system, it also makes large-scale processing extremely time-consuming and impractical for print publication. For that reason, the present project adopts an electronic, database-driven solution and applies a reduced yet informative set of parameters tailored to the needs of computational processing and quantitative evaluation.

In the current version, compounds are analyzed through 11 parameters, three of which include additional subcategories. Compared to the most extensive model, the dictionary does not record certain types of generalized information (e.g., abstract word-formation patterns or summary descriptions), because these can be derived through statistical evaluation of the structured data. The design therefore balances linguistic detail with feasibility, consistency, and reusability.

Lexical meaning is included only when it diverges from motivational meaning. In such cases, definitions are compared against Slovak explanatory dictionaries, and the lexical paraphrases are reduced to fit the data-field constraints of the database. Since semantic divergence between motivational and lexical meaning is gradual and may depend on linguistic interpretation, editorial decisions reflect both the available lexicographic evidence and the analyst’s judgment.

The dictionary has been built as a structured spreadsheet dataset processed by a web application. This format supports efficient storage, display, filtering, and algorithmic handling of word-formation information. The encoding combines natural-language descriptions with controlled symbols and markers, enabling both human readability and computational processing.

Multiple motivation and alternative analyses

A relevant feature of Slovak compounding is the existence of cases where a compound can be interpreted as polymotivated (i.e., with more than one plausible motivational reconstruction). Such cases may involve different compounding procedures, different onomasiological category types, different word-formation categories, or alternative analyses combining composition and derivation. The dictionary explicitly records these alternatives, providing users with parallel motivational paths where justified by linguistic analysis.

Typology of compounds covered

The dictionary follows a classification in which compounds are categorized as:

• true compounds, consisting of two fully lexical bases,
• semi-compounds, combining one lexical base with a bound component (a base-like element), and
• quasi-compounds, consisting of two bound components, often of international origin.

For semi-compounds, the dictionary treats bound components systematically and records them both as motivating elements (with a special marker) and as word-formation means. This makes it possible to map the inventory of such components in Slovak and to search compounds by their initial or final bound element.

Quasi-compounds are included because, although they lack motivating words in the synchronic Slovak lexicon, they remain structurally interpretable and often serve as bases for further word-formation processes. However, their internal word-formation analysis is not carried out in the same way as for motivated compounds; the dictionary records only selected descriptive information necessary for lexicographic and derivational continuity.

Function and use

The primary function of the dictionary is to provide a reliable empirical basis for the study of Slovak word formation, especially compounding, and to enable quantitative and comparative research. The electronic form allows continuous correction, refinement, and expansion; the dictionary is therefore conceived as an open and evolving dataset.

Beyond linguistic research, the dictionary is intended to serve as:

• a methodological and empirical starting point for broader word-formation processing of the Slovak lexicon,
• a source of structured external data for other lexicographic and corpus-linguistic resources,
• a foundation for computational applications, including intelligent systems that can centrally manage and algorithmically evaluate word-formation relations,
• and a didactic tool supporting language teaching and language awareness in a digital environment.

Search and accessibility

The electronic interface enables several search modes. In addition to traditional entry lookup, users can retrieve sets of entries sharing the same word-formation characteristics (e.g., structural features, procedures, categories, or motivational patterns). This provides not only access to individual entries but also an overview of systemic regularities and variation in Slovak compounding.