merging 2 verbs such as 返す and 遅れる into 返し遅れる?


Merging two verbs into one is a common structure:  
繰り返す、書き直す、思い出す、乗り換える、etc.  
sometimes the new verb mixes the meaning of the 2 verbs as well, sometimes
not.

What about merging 2 verbs into a new verb on an ad hoc basis? This new verb
does not exist in a dictionary. But, the mixed meaning of the new verb conveys
the meaning I want. For example:

I received an email last week that I overlooked. Today I responded. I wanted
to say "to reply late". The "mixed verb" I created is "返し遅れる"

> 先週のemailを送って頂きまして誠にありがとございました。大変、 **返し遅れて** 恐縮でございます。

Does **返し遅れる** work here? Can you take the liberty to merge verbs and create
verbs that don't exist in dictionaries?

**example #2**  
走り逃げる  
I'd think this means " _to escape by running._ "

So, can you merge verbs like this " _when it makes sense and the meaning is
clear_ "?




> 先週のemailを送って頂きまして誠にありがとございました。大変、返し遅れて恐縮でございます。

I think this one is a bit awkward because of the formality. Between you and
your friends, I don't think so many people make a fuss about 「返し遅れて」itself.

According to the 「NWJCコーパス」,

[「返し遅れて」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%BF%94%E3%81%97%E9%81%85%E3%82%8C%E3%81%A6&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has _305 hits._

I think the verb is used in the blogs, social networking services, etc. since
it is used like「"コメント"返し遅れて」& ごめん, すみません, 申し訳ございません or something like that.
So, it is bit casual and「ご返事が遅れ」or 「返信が遅くなり」is more appropriate to your
sentence.

(As a side note: I think 大変 should be put just before「恐縮」if you want to
emphasize apology).

[「走り逃げる」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%B5%B0%E3%82%8A%E9%80%83%E3%81%92%E3%82%8B&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has only _72 hits._ So, it is still casual and has not widely been used so
far.

[「走って逃げる」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%B5%B0%E3%82%8A%E5%8E%BB%E3%82%8B&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has _2270 hits_ and it should be more natural and widely used.

The language has been changing all the time and I am not sure about the future
though, the statistics shows some combination of verbs does not work really
well at the moment.




> 先週のemailを送って頂きまして誠にありがとございました。大変、返し遅れて恐縮でございます。

I think this one is a bit awkward because of the formality. Between you and
your friends, I don't think so many people make a fuss about 「返し遅れて」itself.

According to the 「NWJCコーパス」,

[「返し遅れて」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%BF%94%E3%81%97%E9%81%85%E3%82%8C%E3%81%A6&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has _305 hits._

I think the verb is used in the blogs, social networking services, etc. since
it is used like「"コメント"返し遅れて」& ごめん, すみません, 申し訳ございません or something like that.
So, it is bit casual and「ご返事が遅れ」or 「返信が遅くなり」is more appropriate to your
sentence.

(As a side note: I think 大変 should be put just before「恐縮」if you want to
emphasize apology).

[「走り逃げる」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%B5%B0%E3%82%8A%E9%80%83%E3%81%92%E3%82%8B&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has only _72 hits._ So, it is still casual and has not widely been used so
far.

[「走って逃げる」](https://bonten.ninjal.ac.jp/nwjc/string_search?commit=%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&string_search%5Burl_domain%5D=&string_search%5Bwords%5D=%E8%B5%B0%E3%82%8A%E5%8E%BB%E3%82%8B&utf8=%E2%9C%93)
has _2270 hits_ and it should be more natural and widely used.

The language has been changing all the time and I am not sure about the future
though, the statistics shows some combination of verbs does not work really
well at the moment.

