Understanding Conversion in Linguistics

1. 4.3 Conversion （转类法）

2. 泊 船 瓜 洲 王安石 京 口 瓜 洲 一 水 间， 钟 山 只 隔 数 重 山。 春 风 又 绿 江 南 岸， 明 月 何 时 照 我 还。 “到”、“过”、“入”、“满”?

3. 百度一下，你就知道

4. Definition Conversion is the formation of new words by converting words of one class into another class, i. e. by turning words of one part of speech to those of another part of speech in traditional terms. conversion can be also called derivation by zero suffix(零位后缀派生法) with the short form zero-derivation(零位派生法)

5. Categories of Conversion • Conversion to Nouns （转换成名词） • Conversion to Verbs （转换成动词） • Conversion to Adjectives （转换成形容词）

6. conversion to nouns • Deverbal （动词转化成名词） • De-adjectival （形容词转化成名词） • Miscellaneous Conversion（其他词类的转化）

7. Deverbal e.g. There seems no reason to doubt her story. verb. to feel uncertain about sth There is some doubt about the best way to do it. noun. a feeling of being uncertain about sth

8. Almost all the monomorphemic verbs can be used as nouns, which are related to the original verbs in various ways a. State (of mind or sensation) b. Event or activity c. Result of the action d. Doer of the action e. Tool to do the action with f. Place of the action ( b ) ( d ) ( a ) ( f ) ( e ) ( c ) search the activity of searching cook one who cooks want what is wanted dump a place for dumping wastes wrap used to wrap something catch what is caught

9. 1 ) nouns converted from simple verbs can be used with “have ,take ,make ,give” and so on e.g.: have a look ; have a try 2) Nouns converted from phrasal words A : original order hand out B : inverted flow over break out break down handout overflow outbreak breakdown (NOT downbreak !!!)

10. De-adjectival Republican(s) / the poor (1) Words fully converted They can take an indefinite article or (-es) to indicate singular or plural number. a native / natives (2) Words partially converted They must be used together definite articles as nouns while retaining some of the adjective features. the young / the wounded

11. Miscellaneous conversion From conjunctions, modals, finite verbs , prepositions and so on . ifs and buts 借口和托词 ups and downs 起起伏伏 also-run 竞争失败的人 a must 必需品 Romney

12. Conversion to Verbs • e.g. • Tom acts as the captain for the team. • (captain used as a noun) • Tom captains the team • (captain used as a verb) • Advantages of Conversin to Verbs • Vivid • Economical

13. Conversion to Verbs • Denominal（名词转化成动词） • De-adjectival（形容词转化成动词） • Miscellaneous Conversion （其他词类转化成动词）

14. Denominal • Verbs converted from nouns are semantically related to the original nouns in various ways. • To put in or on N • To give N • To remove N from • To do with N • To be or act as N • To make or change into N • To send or go by N ( b ) ( g ) ( a ) ( f ) ( c ) ( e ) ( d ) Shelter, To shelter the refugees Mail, To mail the letter Pocket, To pocket the money Cash, To cash the cheque Skin, To skin the lamb Nurse, To nurse the baby Pump, To pump water

15. De-adjectival Most of this group can be used as either transitively to mean ”to make sth … ” or intransitively “to become” Two men carrying a wooden keg emptied its contents into the opening. My heart emptied when she left me. Some words can only be used as transitive words He was humbled by her generosity. (to make sb feel that they are not good as that thought they are) Some words can only be used as intransitive words You can still eat breakfast when you are slimming. (to lose weight)

16. Miscellaneous conversion e.g. further (adv.→v.) She took the new job to further her career. (to help sth to develop) round (prep.→v.) We rounded the bend at high speed. (to go around a corner of buiding, a bend in the road, etc.)

17. Conversion to Adjectives • Nouns to Adjectives • Other Words to Adjectives 2 features: • Much less productive • Mostly occurs between nouns and adjectives

18. Mass And Material Nouns a silver coin (a coin made of silver) an iron lady Nouns of Other Kinds a department decision (a decision made by the department) job opportunity (the opportunity to get a job)

19. Noun modifier & adjective modifier With NO difference prestige university — prestigious university affluence society — affluent society Noun modifier & adjective modifier With GREAT difference Stone house –a house made of stones Stony heart –a heart as hard as stone Bankrupt businessman – a businessman who is bankrupt Bankruptcy lawyer – a lawyer who deals with bankruptcy cases

20. Other Words to Adjectives Wen Jiabao was the then premier of China. (adv.→ adj.) to describe sb who had a particular job in the past I will take a through train. (prep.→ adj.) to travel from one place to another without stopping

21. In some cases, conversion is accompanied by certain nonaffixal changes which affect pronunciation or spelling ar stress distribution.

22. Noun Verb house /-s/ house /-z/ advice /-s/ advise /-z/ mouth /-ө/ mouth /-ð/ shelf /-f/ shelve /-v/ breath /-ө/ breathe /-ð/ 1) Voiceless to Voiced Consonant 清辅音转化成浊辅音

23. Noun Verb contrast contrast desert desert increase increase produce produce His friends deserted him in the desert. You must perfect yourself if you want a perfect girlfriend. 2) Initial to End Stress 重音后移

24. In some rare cases, a substantial change of pronunciation or spelling may happen. food-- feed blood-- bleed breath/e/ -- breathe/i:/ bath /a:/ -- bathe/ei/ 3) Some Exceptions of Conversion

25. Definition Deverbal De-adjective Conversion to Nouns Miscellaneous Conversion Denominal 3 Categoties of Conversion Conversion to Verbs De-adjective Conversion Miscellaneous Conversion Nouns to Adjectives Conversion to Adjectives Voiceless to Voiced Consonant Other Words to Adjectives Other Categories Initial to End Stress Some Exceptions of Conversion