Greater Swiss Mountain dog
- noun
- /ˈɡreɪtər swɪs ˈmaʊntən dɔɡ/
:
perro de montaña suizo mayor
- The Greater Swiss Mountain dog excels at pulling carts and guarding livestock in the Alps.
Examples
-
The Greater Swiss Mountain dog has a striking tricolor coat that makes it stand out in the park.
-
Because of its gentle temperament, the Greater Swiss Mountain dog is a popular family companion.
-
Despite its size, the Greater Swiss Mountain dog is known for being affectionate and loyal.
-
The Greater Swiss Mountain dog is a loyal companion.
-
Many families choose a Greater Swiss Mountain dog for their strength.
-
With its incredible strength, the Greater Swiss Mountain dog is often employed in search and rescue missions.
-
Many people admire the Greater Swiss Mountain dog for its powerful build and friendly nature.
Surface Forms
Morphology
greater + Swiss + mountain + dog
The phrase is a descriptive breed name whose parts combine compositionally: 'greater' (larger), 'Swiss' (from Switzerland), 'mountain' (relating to mountain dogs) and 'dog' clearly indicate a large Swiss mountain dog breed. Because the meaning is directly derivable from the constituent words and follows a common modifier+noun pattern found across languages, a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily understand it.
Etymology
Greater Swiss Mountain dog comes from farmers in the Swiss mountains who used very big dogs to pull carts and guard animals. Imagine a strong, three-colour dog working on a mountain farm — that picture explains why the name means a 'large' 'working dog' from Switzerland.
