Presentation "Conversion"

CONVERSION

PLAN

1. DEFINITION OF CONVERSION

2. TYPICAL SEMANTIC RELATIONS IN CONVERSION

3. PROBLEMS WITH CONVERSION

4. CONVERSION AND OTHER WORD-BUILDING TYPES

DEFINITION

CONVERSION- the type of creating new words from existing words by changing the category of a part of speech but without changing the morphemic shape of the original word.

THE MAIN VARIETIES

• Verbalization ( to monkey )
• Substantivation ( a do )
• Adjectivation ( to feel down )
• Adverbalization ( He is home )

WHAT PART OF SPEECH ?

• NOUNS BECOME VERBS ( a hammer- to hammer, a monkey- to monkey etc)
• VERBS BECOME NOUNS ( to do- a do, to go- a go etc)
• ADJECTIVES BECOME VERBS ( yellow- to yellow, red- to red etc
• Word of any part of speech ( even an affix can undergo conversion ( I do not like any isms .)

TYPICAL SEMANTIC RELATIONS IN CONVERSION

NOUNS BECOME VERBS

• Action characteristic of the object ( monkey- to monkey )
• Instrumental relations ( hammer- to hammer)
• Acquisition or addition of the object ( fish – to fish)
• Deprivation of the object ( dust –to dust)
• Location ( garage- to garage )

VERBS BECOME NOUNS

• Instance of the action ( to jump- a jump )
• Agent of the action ( to bore – a bore )
• Place of the action ( to drive – a drive )
• Result of the action ( to find- a find )
• Process or state ( to sleep- sleep )
• Object of the action ( to let-let )

PROBLEMS WITH CONVERSION

Are all pairs created by conversion?

ANSWER- TO ANSWER

Answer - in old English andswaru

To answer – in old English andswarian

EXAMLES: to drink-drink, work- to work, to love- love, smoke- to smoke, to hate –hate etc

CONVESTION AND OTHER WORD-BUILDING TYPES. PHRASAL VERBS BECOME NOUNS

A breakdown, a comeback, a drawback, a fallout, a handout, a lookout, a hangout, a pullover, a makeup, a runaway, a setback, a takeover, a washout, a teach-in, a breakup etc

CONVERSION AND OTHER WORD-BUILDING TYPES

COMPOSITION PLUS CONVERSION

Examples: to blacklist, to stonewall, to blackball , to pinpoint etc

A DOUBLE PROCESS

• To have a look/a swim/ a chat/ a laugh etc
• To give a start/ a jerk/ a cry etc
• To take a ride/ a walk etc
• To be in the know, in the long run, it gives me the creeps

EXAMPLES

1.The ups and downs of my career.

2. The runaway was caught by the police.

3.We went to a do yesterday.

4.The book is a splendid read .

5. He is a has-been .

6.It is a good buy.

7.We decided to rough it in the tents as the weather was warm.

EXAMPLES

8. The diplomat was outed from Budapest.

9. The guests were eyeing up food and drinks.

• The British are famous for their hang-ups.
• Are you kidding me?
• We have to weather the storm.
• Where is my mobile?

THE END