aConversion & multiple processes

I. Conversion
1. Definition: Conversion is a type of word formation process in which a word is
assigned to a new word class or part of speech without any change in form.
TL; DR: The word function changes, depending on context.
E.g. Clay can be moulded into almost any shape. (Shape here is a noun).
He was very influential in shaping the country's economic policy/strategy. (Shape here is
a verb).
e.g. Welcome to Hell! My name is Toby, your host for tonight. (Host here is a noun,
indicating a person directing an event)
I’m hosting this meeting to discuss some urgent financial matters. (Host here is a verb,
indicating the act of directing a meeting.
2. Type of conversion: There are many types of conversion, as follows:

a) Noun to verb: One of the most common forms of conversion, where a noun becomes

a verb with no change to its form.

e.g. You’re the apple of my eye. / She’s eyeing Charles Leclerc as her next date.

Eye in S1 is a noun (body part), eye in S2 is a verb (fancying someone).

b) Verb to noun:

e.g. This team makes me wanna bang my head against the wall.

He had always wanted to go out with a bang.

Bang in S1 is a verb (hit), bang in S2 is a noun (explosion).

c) Adjective to verb

e.g. His room is very clean.

Clean up, people! We’re leaving in 10 minutes.

Clean in S1 is an adjective (clean from dirt and filth), clean in S2 is a verb (return the

place to its original state).

d) Adjective to noun

e.g. Oh! You poor thing!

The poor in this city are living paycheck-to-paycheck, trying to make ends meet.

Poor in S1 is an adjective (feel bad for s.o/sth), poor in S2 is a noun (the impoverished,

without money or asset).

e) Noun to adjective

e.g. This summer has been wonderful.

We’re having a summer vacation to the Bahamas.

Summer in S1 is a noun (the second season of the year), summer in S2 is an adjective (a

vacation happening in summer – something to do with grammar).

f) Verb to adjective

e.g. Run! He has a gun!

We’re watching a running stream. Care to join us?

Run in S1 is a verb (immediately leave a place), run in S2 is an adjective (indicating

water flowing water).

g) Adverb to verb: g) and h) is quite rare in the English language, as they tend to express

time, place or degree and it’s rare for them to be used as verbs or nouns directly.

e.g. He climbed up the stairs to the attic.

You need to up your game, and fast.

Up in S1 is an adverb (moving towards a higher direction), up in S2 is a verb (improve

something).

h) Adverb to noun (cái này tao kiếm không ra, nên chắc nhắc sơ thôi)

i) Adjective to adverb: Also quite rare, but may happen when the adjective is used to

describe manner.

e.g. She got married in her late 20s.

She’s late on the scene.

Late in S1 is an adjective (near the end of a period of time, in this case late 20s), late in

S2 is an adverb (after the expected period of time).

j) Adverb to adjective

e.g. She leaned forward and kissed him for the first time.

The forward momentum of my punch was blocked by his idiotic face.

Forward in S1 is an adverb (towards a place/position that is in front), forward in S2 is an

adjective (directed or moving towards the front).

2.1. Approximate conversion: This is when a word alters its pronunciation/spelling to fit

in a new grammatical role.

e.g. He conducted himself well, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen Beyoncé. (1)

Your conduct is far and away the worst I’ve ever seen. Have you considered working for

the White House? (2)

 Conduct in (1) is a verb (behaving), conduct in (2) is a noun (behaviour)

e.g.. I escorted her home, after her wild night with Domingo.

The Presidential escort has arrived. He’s here!

 Escort in (1) is a verb (taking someone to a secure place), escort in (2) is a noun (a

group of people protecting someone).

Based on said definition, there are 2 methods of converting a word:

 Final consonant (noun  verb)

e.g. The advice you gave me was very useful, thank you! (noun)

The generals advised Hitler to accept defeat, to no avail. (verb)

 Stress sound shift:

e.g. The current conflict between Iran and Israel is pushing the world into a new World

War. (noun)

He gave conflicting accounts about what happened at the White Party. (adjective)

3. Characteristics of conversion

 Derivation: This is the process of creating new words by adding prefixes or

suffixes to existing words. It includes both zero-derivation (complete conversion)

and other forms of derivation.

  Zero-Derivation (Complete Conversion): This is when a word changes its part

of speech without any change in its form. For example, the noun "walk" can

become the verb "to walk" without any alteration in spelling.

 Y: This represents cases where derivation involves a change in the part of speech

and the addition of a derivational suffix, such as turning the noun "act" into the

adjective "active" by adding the suffix "-ive".

 X: This stands for cases where derivation involves adding a prefix or suffix

without changing the part of speech. For instance, adding the prefix "re-" to the

verb "charge" to form "recharge", which remains a verb.

In summary, the diagram categorizes derivation into zero-derivation (complete

conversion) and other forms (Y and X), highlighting how words can change or

retain their parts of speech through different morphological processes.

In short, there are 3 characteristics of conversion:

 Conversion changes the category of the part of speech.
 The morphemic structure (that is, the structure of the word itself) may or may not
change.
 Conversion creates a change in semantics, although the meanings are still
connected

4. Conversion vs Affixation

Similarities:

 Both conversion and affixation are processes of word formation.

 Both processes can change the part of speech of a word.

Differences:
 Feature Conversion Affixation

Affixation No Yes (prefix/suffix)

Word form No Yes

Example Water (N)  Water (V) Happy (adj)  Unhappy

(adj)

II. Multiple processes

Entry examples:

Hagsploitation = Blending (Hags + exploitation) + Affixation (adding the suffix -tion to

exploit).

Lieutenant = Borrowing (lieu and tenant from French) + Compounding (combining lieu

and tenant).

As mentioned, there are 9 processes involved in word formation: Coinage, borrowing,

blending, clipping, acronymy, conversion, affixation, back-formation and compounding.

However, life, much like languages, aren’t so clear-cut. It is possible to find words that

can be formed by more than 1 method  multiple processes.

Languages, by nature, evolves constantly. And there are a few ideas that can be looked

into in this process. (only touch on it briefly)

1. Productivity in Morphology:

As stated, some word formation methods are more “productive” than others (i.e. produces

more words) than others.

This is particularly true for compounding and affixation.

e.g. Babysitter = Compounding + Affixation

Compounding because we combine the words baby and sitter.

Affixation because we add the suffix -er to sit.

2. Lexicalization and Language economy

Lexicalization = The adoption of recently formed words into the vernacular.

Language economy = The idea that people prefer words that are shorter and more

efficient.

e.g. Unfriend = Affixation + Conversion

Affixation because we add the prefix -un to the word friend.

Conversion because the word friend (n) becomes friend (v).

This word came about due to social media networks like Facebook needing a way to

indicate the act of removing someone from their friend list.

3. Language contact/borrowing

Language contact is a theory that suggest that multiple processes occurred when

languages borrow words and terms from other languages.

E.g. Pyjamas = Borrowing + Affixation + Compounding

Borrowing because this word came from Persian/Urdu pāy-jāma (leg clothing).

Compounding because it is a combination of 2 Persian words pāy (leg) and jāma

(clothing).
Affixation because it receives the suffix -s after it entered the English vernacular,

indicating a 2-piece set.

4. Blending in a digital context

As I said, some methods are more “productive” than others in forming new words. This is

especially true for blending/clipping/compounding and affixation. Thanks to the

widespread use of technology, more and more words are formed with multiple

morphological processes needed.

e.g. Glamping = Clipping + Compounding + Blending

Clipping because we clipped “glam” from “glamorous” and “ping” from “camping”.

Compounding because we compound the words glamorous and camping.

Blending because we blend together “glam” and “ping” to create “glamping”.

More examples of multiple processes.

1. Deadname (v) = Compounding + Conversion

Compounding because it combines the word dead (n) and name (n)

Conversion because the word deadname (n) became deadname (v)

The meaning also changes from noun to verb. Deadname (n) means the name of a

transgender person before they change their gender. Deadname (v) means the act of

referring to a trans person by their former name, something that is very frown upon.

2. Vlog (v) = Blending + Clipping + Conversion

Blending because it blends together “video” and “blog”.

Clipping because we cut off “-ideo” from “video” and “b” from “blog”.
Conversion because we convert this word from a noun to a verb. (e.g. “to vlog”).

3. Regram (v) = Affixation + Clipping (to share something on Instagram)

Affixation because of the prefix “-re”

Clipping because we removed “Insta” from “Instagram”

4. Crowdsourcing (v) = Compounding + Affixation (to fund a project using the

community)

Compounding because it combines “crowd” and “source”

Affixation because it has the suffix “-ing”

5. Binge-watch (v) = conversion + compounding

Compounding because it combines “binge” and “watch

Conversion because the was “binge” was a noun before becoming a verb (to binge)

6. Mansplain (v) = Clipping + Compounding + blending

Clipping because we removed “e” from “explain”

Compounding because we combine “man” and “explain”

Blending because we fuse “man” with the second part of “explain”

7. Bedgasm (n) = Clipping + Compounding

Clipping because we removed “or” from “orgasm”

Compounding because we combine “bed” with “orgasm”

8. Hangry (adj) = Clipping + compounding

Clipping because we removed “ungry” from “hungry” and “an” from “angry”
Compounding because this word combines “hungry” and “angry”