CONVERSION
1. DEFINITION
- the derivational process whereby an item changes its word-class without the
addition of an affix.
- can be complete conversion or approximate conversion.
E.g. empty (a) → empty (v) walk (v) → walk(n) rich (a) → the rich (n) bottle (n)
→ bottle (v)
2. CLASSIFICATION:
► According to morphological structure
● Complete conversion: is the process of making a new word by changing its word
class but maintaining the pronunciation and spelling.
● Approximate conversion: undergoes a slight change of pronunciation or spelling.
Two important kinds of alternation are:
+ voicing of final consonants (noun →verb)
E.g
advice → advise
thief → thieve
bath → bathe
house → house (change the pronunciation)
+ shift of stress (verb →noun; verbs of 2 syllables when converted into nouns, the
stress is shifted from the second to the first)
►According to frequency of occurrence
● Traditional conversion: the type of conversion which is commonly and
traditionally used by the public. Words built by this type are recorded in
dictionaries
● Occasional conversion: the individual use of conversion in special situations to
express one’s idea vividly and humorously. Words built by this type are not found
in dictionaries
● Partial conversion: the process of some verbs converted into nouns which are
not used independently but with verbs like have, take, make, give
Example: have a look/talk/smoke/drink give a ring/kick/blow make a call
3. DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPLETE CONVERSION
►Verb →noun
Nouns expressing state from stative verbs: love, doubt
Nouns expressing event/ activity from dynamic verbs: laugh, walk
Nouns showing the Object of Verb: answer, catch
Nouns showing the Subject of Verb: bore, cheat
Nouns showing the Instrument of Verb: cover, wrap
Nouns expressing the manner of Verb: throw, walk
Nouns showing the place of Verb: retreat, return
►Adjective → noun
E.g rich → the rich black → the black
►Noun → verb
Verbs mean ‘put in/on’: bottle, corner
Verbs mean ‘give N/ provide with N’: coat, mask
Verbs mean ‘deprive of N’: peel, skin
Verbs mean ‘to…..with noun as instrument’: brake, knife
Verbs mean ‘to be/ act as N with respect to….’: nurse, referee
Verbs mean ‘to make/change…..into N’: cash,
Verbs mean ‘to send/go by N’: mail, ship, bicycle, motor
►Adjective → verb
Transitive verbs mean ‘to make (more) Adj’: calm, dirty
Intransitive verbs mean ‘to become Adj’: dry, empty
Note: No big difference between this way and Affixation by adding ‘en’
►Minor categories of conversion
Conversion from closed-system to nouns:
E.g This book is a must for the students of aerodynamics
Conversion from phrases to nouns:
E.g Whenever I gamble, my horse is one of the also-ran.
Conversion from phrases to adjectives:
E.g I feel very under- the- weather.
Conversion from affixes to nouns:
E.g Patriotism and any other isms you like to name.
►Change of secondary word class: Nouns
Non-count → count
- a unit of N: two coffees (cups of coffee)
- a kind of N: Some paints are more lasting than others (kinds of paint)
- an instance of N (with abstract nouns): a difficulty
Count → non-count
Noun is considered in terms of measurable extent: a few square feet of floor
Proper → common
- a member of the class typified by N: a Jeremiah ( ‘a gloomy prophet’)
- a person, place… called N: There are several Cambridges in the world.
- a product of N, or a sample or collection of N’s work: a Roll Royce
- something associated with N: Wellington, a sandwich
►Change of secondary word class: Verbs
Intransitive → transitive
‘Cause to V’: run the water
Transitive → intransitive:
- ‘can be V-ed’ (often followed by well or badly): This book reads well
- ‘to V oneself’: Have you washed yet? (wash yourself)
- ‘to V someone/something/…’: We have eaten already
- ‘to be V-ed’: The door opened
Intransitive → intensive:
- current meaning: He lay flat
- resulting meaning: He fell flat
Intensive → intransitive: The milk turned (i.e. ‘turned sour’)
Mono-transitive → complex transitive:
- current meaning: We catch them young
- resulting meaning: I wiped it clean
►Change of secondary word class: adjective
non-gradable → gradable: I have very legal turn of mind
stative → dynamic:
He’s being friendly (acting in a friendly manner)
