Unit 5 Word Formation: Conversion

ConversionConversion is a main type of word-formation assigning the base to a different word class with no change of form. For example, the verb release is converted to the noun release.

In the English language conversion is unusually prominent as a word-formation process. Of course, conversion, like other main types of word-formation, is treated as a process now available for extending the lexical resources of the English language.

There are two kinds of conversion: full conversion and partial conversion.

Full conversion is conversion as already discussed above.

Partial conversion is conversion, where a word of one word class appears in a function which is characteristic of another word class.

In such structures as the wealthy(wealthy people), the ignorant, the kind, the wicked, etc., the adjective is partially converted to noun status in that it is syntactically in a position…characteristic of nouns rather than adjective. But that is not full conversion because one cannot say:” saw two wealthies”, nor can one say:” I saw a wealthy.”

The types of conversion contain three major word classes: nouns, verbs and additives. Conversion from noun to verb and from verb to noun are the most productive categories.Conversion can be classified into four categories according to word classes.

Conversion to noun:

There are two types of conversion to noun.

1) De-verbal

This type includes the following kinds.The de-verbal nouns may be used:

1)to denote the state of mind or sensation.Desire: v. To long for, to wish n. strong longing, earnest wish

dismay: v. To fill with dismay n. strong feeling of fear and hopelessness

doubt: v. To hesitate to believe n. uncertainty of mind. Love: v. To have strong affection or deep tender feeling for. n. warm, kind feeling; fondness. Smell: v. To be aware of through the sense of smell. n. that one of the five senses special to the nose.

Taste: v. To be aware of the taste of something. n.sense by which flavour is known. Want:v. To require, to be in need of n.need The deverbal nouns of this kind are used statively to count or noncount nouns

b) to denote an event or activity: attempt v: to try, to make a start at doing something n. effort to do something.Fall: v. To come or go down freely n. act of falling

hit: v. To give a blow n. blow

laugh: v. To make sounds or movements of the face and body, showing amusement, joy.

n. sound made in laughing, act of laughing.

Release: v. To allow to go, to set free. n. releasing or being released.

Search: v. To examine, to look carefully at. n. act of searching

swim: v. To move the body through water by using arms, legs, fins, the tail, etc.

n. act or period of swimming

The deverbal nouns of this kind are used dynamically.

c) as object of the given verb:answer: Foreign languages are taught through questions and answers ( that which is answered).Bet: I will lay you a bet( something is laid, staked, or pledged typically between two parties on the outcome of a contest or a contingent issue)

Catch: Her husband was a good catch ( that which is caught). They say he’s got a fortune in the bank.

Find: an important archaeological find ( that which is found.)

d) as subject of the given verb:bore: He became a bore( one that causes boredom) at last.

cheat: A cheat is a person who cheats.coach: A coach is a person who trains athletes for contests.

e) as instrument of the given verb:

cover:

put the cover ( something with which to cover things) on the kettle and the water will boil.

Wrap:

The word “wrap”( a garment or piece of material which is used as a covering) as a noun is usually used in the plural form. It means “shawl(s), rug(s), coat(s), cloak(s), neckerchief(s), etc,’; use of transparent film as a wrap ( material for covering or packing something).

Wrench:

where is your wrench (spanner)?

f) as manner of the given verb:

walk: I can know him at once by his walk ( manner of walking).

throw: a spotlight with a throw of 500 feet ( manner of traveling).

lie:

the lie ( the way or position in which something lies) of the land.

g) as place of the given verb:

divide:

a period marking the divide ( something that divides, especially watershed) between two eras of American history.

rise:

He sat at the top of a small rise ( an upward slope; small hill).

turn: Take a turn to the right, please. A path full of twists and turns ( a place at which something turns, turns off or turns back.

2) De-adjectival:

There is no very productive type of adjective---noun conversion in English. This conversion can be explained in terms of a fixed adjective plus noun phrase from which the noun has been ellipted.

Typical examples are:

I’d like two pints of bitter, please. ( type of beer)

They ‘re running in the final. ( the final race)

As a foot-baller, he is a natural. ( a naturally skilled player)

Daily( daily newspaper)Comic (comic actor)Regular ( regular customer)Roast( roast beef)Young marrieds ( married people)

Annual ( annual book or magazine)Bimonthly ( bimonthly magazine)Biweekly ( biweekly magazine)Weekly ( weekly magazine)Monthly ( monthly magazine)Perennial ( perennial plant)

Conversion to verb:There are two types of conversion to verb.1) Denominal: This type has seven kinds.A) to put in N: Bottle: to put into a bottle Corner: to put into a difficult position Position: to put someone or something in… Floor: to put a floor in a building

B) to give N or to provide with N…

coat: to give a coat to

commission: to give a commission to

mask: to give a mask to

plaster: to give a plaster to

C) to deprive of N:core: to remove the core from

skin: to take the skin off

peel: to take the skin off fruit, vegetables etc.

Gut: to take the guts out of

D) to do with N;knife: to cut or stab with a knife

brake: to stop by means of a brake

finger: to touch with the fingers

E) to be or act as N with respect:

father: to act as a father to

nurse: to act as a nurse to

pilot: to act as a pilot to

F) to make or change…into N:

cash: to change into cash

group: to make into a group

G) to send or go by N:mail: to send by mail

telegraph: to send news, etc. by telegraph

bicycle: to go by bicycle

boat: to travel by motor-car

canoe:

to travel by canoe

Most of the verbs in this type are transitive verbs, with the exception of a few words.

2) De-adjectival:This type has two kinds.

a)(transitive verb) to make adj. or to make more adj.Calm: to make calmDirty: to make or become dirtySoundproof: to make soundproofLower: to make less high

This type can be used as transitive verbs and intransitive verbs:

Don’t dirty your hands.

White shoes dirty very easily

b)(intransitive verb) to become adj.Dry: to become dry

Empty: to become empty

Narrow: to become narrow

Yellow: to become yellow

Grey: to become greyBlue: to become blue

This kind can also be used as transitive verbs and intransitive verbs:

Dry your wet hands.The wet clothes will soon dry in the sun.

Sometimes a phrasal verb is derived from an adjective by the addition of a particle:

Smooth out: to make smooth

Calm down: to become calm

Sober up: to become sober

Sometimes a verb is derived from an adjective plus a suffix:

Blacken: to become black

Black: to make black

Blacken and black used as verbs are the same in meaning and function.

C. Conversion to adjective:

This category has only one type.

Denominal:A brick garage: The garage is brick.Worcester porcelain: This porcelain is Worcester.A very Oxbridge accent: His accent is Oxbridge.

Minor categories of conversion:

There are three less minor categories of conversion, chiefly used informally.

1)Conversion to nouns:

This type has three kinds.

A) conversion from closed-system words to nouns.There are two postulated major word classes in the English language: open class and closed class, namely, open-system words and closed-system words. An open class is one whose membership is in principle indefinite or unlimited, whereas a closed class is one whose membership is fixed or limited.

New items are constantly being added to the open class, as new ideas, inventions, etc, appear. Nouns, verbs, adjective and adverbs are open-class items, that is , open-system words. New items are not regularly added to the closed class as they are in the case of open-class items. Pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles, etc. Are all closed-system words.

Examples are:But(i.e. the word but) contains three letters.

His speech contains too many ifs and buts.

The book is a must for students of science.

It tells you about the how and the why of flight.

B)Conversion from affixes to nouns:

Very occasionally, an affix may be converted to nouns, e.g.

This is the age of ismsThe pros and cons.

C) Conversion from phrases to nouns: Phrases or combinations of more than one word, may sometimes be reduced to noun status by conversion, e.g. Whenever I gamble, my horse is one of the also-rans. ( one of the horses which also ran’ but was not among the winners.)

2)Conversion to verbs This conversion is conversion from closed-class words and non-lexical items to verbs. It is chiefly used informally: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:

This conversion is the conversion from phrases to adjectives.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.

It is all to nothing that they will succeed.

Conversion may be reclassified into three types according to the same word-classes; the change of secondary word class—nouns, the change of secondary word class---verbs and the change of secondary word class---adjectives. They parallel the major conversions already discussed above.

The change of secondary word class---nouns: This type has four kinds.1) noncount nouns- count nouns:a) a unit of N: The waiter has served thirty teas from 4 o’clock.( a small meal, usually served in the afternoon with a cup of tea.)Two coffees ( two cups of coffee)Two sugars ( two lumps of sugar)

b)a kind of N:

Some paints are more lasting than others.This is a better bread than the one I baked yesterday.

c) an instance of N: ( with abstract nouns)

May I ask a favour of you?The difficulties of English grammar;A home truth ( a fact about someone which is unpleasant for him but true.)Small kindnessesA miserable failureA great injustice