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    Conversion

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    This document discusses zero-derivation or conversion, which is when an item is adapted to a new word class without adding an affix. Conversion is difficult to analyze because there is no clear base or derived form. Direction of conversion is often determined by semantic dependence. Conversion occurs from nouns to verbs and verbs to nouns. Nouns can be derived from verbs denoting states, events, objects of verbs, and subjects of verbs. Verbs can be derived from nouns denoting actions involving or related to the noun. Conversion also occurs from adjectives to nouns and verbs. The document provides many examples of conversion between parts of speech in English.

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    Conversion

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    gieco.laura
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    This document discusses zero-derivation or conversion, which is when an item is adapted to a new word class without adding an affix. Conversion is difficult to analyze because there is no clear base or derived form. Direction of conversion is often determined by semantic dependence. Conversion occurs from nouns to verbs and verbs to nouns. Nouns can be derived from verbs denoting states, events, objects of verbs, and subjects of verbs. Verbs can be derived from nouns denoting actions involving or related to the noun. Conversion also occurs from adjectives to nouns and verbs. The document provides many examples of conversion between parts of speech in English.

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    This document discusses zero-derivation or conversion, which is when an item is adapted to a new word class without adding an affix. Conversion is difficult to analyze because there is no clear base or derived form. Direction of conversion is often determined by semantic dependence. Conversion occurs from nouns to verbs and verbs to nouns. Nouns can be derived from verbs denoting states, events, objects of verbs, and subjects of verbs. Verbs can be derived from nouns denoting actions involving or related to the noun. Conversion also occurs from adjectives to nouns and verbs. The document provides many examples of conversion between parts of speech in English.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    26 views2 pages

    Conversion

    Uploaded by

    gieco.laura
    This document discusses zero-derivation or conversion, which is when an item is adapted to a new word class without adding an affix. Conversion is difficult to analyze because there is no clear base or derived form. Direction of conversion is often determined by semantic dependence. Conversion occurs from nouns to verbs and verbs to nouns. Nouns can be derived from verbs denoting states, events, objects of verbs, and subjects of verbs. Verbs can be derived from nouns denoting actions involving or related to the noun. Conversion also occurs from adjectives to nouns and verbs. The document provides many examples of conversion between parts of speech in English.

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    Zero-derivation (Conversion)

    Conversion is the derivational process whereby an item is adapted or converted to a new


    word class without the addition of an affix. It is similar to processes of suffixation, but
    here the base is not altered in any way.

    Direction of conversion
    Because there is no addition of a suffix it is difficult to decide which item should be
    treated as the base and which as the derived form.
    Often the semantic dependence of one item upon another is enough to argue its
    derivational dependence. For example, the verb net can be paraphrased in terms of the
    noun as 'put into a net', but no paraphrase could be constructed for the noun ('an
    instrument for netting'?)

    1. Conversion to noun
    a. Deverbal
    a) State. (from verbs used statively to count or noncount nouns): desire, dismay, doubt,
    love. smell, taste. want
    b) Event/activity. (from verbs used dynamically): fall, hit, laugh, release, search, swim,
    shut-down, blow-out (of a tyre)
    c) 'Object of V': answer, bet, catch, find, hand-out.
    d) 'Subject of V': bore, cheat, coach, show-off, stand-in
    e) 'Instrument of V': cover, paper, wrap.
    f) 'Manner of V-ing'. walk, throw.
    g) 'Place of V': divide, retreat, rise, turn, lay-by, drive-in

    b. De-adjectival
    As a football player, he's a natural. [=a naturally skilled player]
    They're running in the final. [= the final race]
    Also daily [= 'daily newspaper'], weekly, monthly, annual perennial, comic [= 'comic
    actor'], regulars [= 'regular customers'], roast [= 'roast beef'].

    2. Conversion to verb
    a. Denominal
    (a) 'To put in/on N': bottle [= 'to put into a bottle'], carpet, corner, catalogue, floor,
    garage, position, shelve (books)
    (b) 'To give N, to provide with N': butter (bread), coat [= 'to give a coat (of paint, etc)
    to'], commission, grease, mask
    (c) 'To deprive of N': core [= 'remove the core from'], gut, peel, skin.
    (d) 'To . . . with N': brake [= 'to stop by means of a brake'], elbow, hand, finger, glue.
    (e) 'To be/act as N with': father, nurse, pilot, referee.
    (f) 'To make/change into N': cash [= 'to change into cash'], cripple, group
    (g) 'To send/go by N': mail [= 'to send by mail'], ship, telegraph, bicycle [= 'to go by
    bicycle'], boat, canoe, motor.

    b. De-adjectival
    (a) (transitive verbs) 'to make adj.' or 'to make more adj.': calm [= 'to make calm'],
    dirty, dry, humble, lower, soundproof.
    (b) (intransitive verbs) 'to become adj.': dry [= 'to become dry'], empty, narrow, yellow.

    3. Minor categories of conversion


    1. Conversion to nouns
    a) From closed-class words
    His argument contains too many ifs and buts.
    This book is a must for the student of aerodynamics.
    It tells you about the how and the why of flight.
    b) From affixes; very occasionally, an affix may be converted into a noun:
    Patriotism, nationalism, and any other isms you'd like to name.
    c) From phrases:
    Whenever I gamble, my horse is one of the also-rans [= 'one of the horses which did
    not win but merely, also ran']
    Also 'the high-ups' 'he is a has-been', 'a free-for-al', 'some down-and-outs'

    2. Conversion to verbs: from closed-class and non-lexical items, chiefly informal:


    They downed tools in protest.
    She will off and do her own thing.
    If you uh-uh again, I won't go on with my story.

    3. Conversion to adjectives: from phrases (such as that in 'The plane is up in the


    air'):
    an up-in-the-air feeling ~ I feel very up in the air. [with reference to cheerful spirits]
    an upper-class manner ~ His manner is very upper-class.

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