Back Formation

A word of one type (noun) is reduced to form a word of another type (verb).
e.g.
donate (from ‘donation’)
babysit (form ‘babysitter’)
liaise (from ‘liaison’)
enthuse (form ‘enthusiasm’)
Examples
•  proofread (proofreading),
• scavenge (scavenger)
• to vacuum (vacuum cleaner),
• air-condition (air-conditioning),
• breastfeed (breastfeeding),
• skydive (skydiving),
• babysit (babysitting).

Conversion
1. A change in the function of a word (without any reduction).
e.g.
Noun:
• Bottle
• Butter
• Vacation
• chair
Verb:
• Bottle
• Butter
• Vacation
• chair
Examples
 • We bottled the home-brew last night.
• Have you buttered the toast?
• They’re vacationing in Florida
• Someone has to chair the meeting

Shift of stress:
Verb – noun
e.g.
– Present – present
– Subject – subject
– Contest – contest