The structural meaning of compounds is formed on the base of the meaning of their distributional pattern which is understood as the order and arrangement of the constituents of a compound word. A change in the order and arrangement of the same components of the word gives us the compounds with different lexical meanings. For example, the compound word fi nger-ring denotes a ring which is worn on fi nger, whereas the compound word ring-fi nger means the fi nger next to the little fi nger, especially of the left hand, on which the wedding ring is worn. So, the words ring-fi nger and fi nger-ring contain two root morphemes, the combined lexical meaning of which can be changed account for the difference in the arrangement of the component morphemes. The semantic structure of compound words can be changed in a result of rearrangement of their distributional patterns. E.g.: dog house – it is special house for a dog (конура); house-dog – it is a kind of a dog living near the house or in the house and protecting the house and housekeeper. It has been mentioned that the shift in order and place of the constituent parts of a compound can destroy its meaning. Thus, the distributional pattern of compounds carries a certain lexical meaning. The main interest semantic aspect of compound words is the question of correlation of the separate meanings of the constituent parts and the actual meaning of the compounds. The semantic structure of compounds can be divided into two groups: a) non-idiomatic compounds; b) idiomatic compounds.

The fi rst groups of compounds represent meanings which can be described as the sum of their constituent meanings. (It means that these compounds haven’t changes in their meanings, it is easily to guess). E.g.: classroom, bedroom, raincoat, nightdress, dancing-hall, changing-room. The compounds which meanings do not correspond to the separate meanings of their constituent (main) parts are called idiomatic compounds. Idiomatic compounds can be divided into two types:

 partial (non complete) changed meaning;

 total (complete) changed meaning. 

In the first type of compounds one of the components has changed its meaning. In this type of compound words we see the process of alteration of meaning. E.g.: a blackboard, a blackbird, chatter-box, blackberries. For example, the compounds a blackbird, a bluebird convey only one concept: the type of bird. The compound word blue-baby is about a child who has a weak heart or something wrong with heart whose skin is slightly blue. Thus, the main feature of the partial compounds that only one element of the compound words can have changed meaning. The second type of compounds it is a process of complete change of meaning or the key semantic aspect has been lost. E.g.: a ladybird, tallboy, bluestockings, bluebottle, butter-fi ngers, lady-killer, ladyfi nger.

For instance, a ladybird is not a bird, but insect; a tallboy is not a boy, but a piece of furniture; bluestockings – an old fashioned word is about a well-educated woman who is more interested in ideas and studying, who dedicates her life to science, bluebottle – it is not a bottle, it is a large fl y with a blue body; butter-fi ngers is a clumsy person often has accidents, because they are not careful, lady-fi nger – a small long thin cake made with eggs, sugar and fl our. So, we have regarded some groups of compounds based on different semantic meanings.