The article deals with various aspects of conversion as one of the basic ways of English word-formation: definition and classification. The main types of conversion models are described and the frequency of their use in the language is commented on. Different types of conversion stem of the modern stage of development of the language system are analyzed. In conclusion, the enormous productive potential of conversion in the English language is determined.
Key words: conversion, verbalization, substantivation, adjectivation, adverbialization productivity, word-stem.
Any language can be considered expressive and rich due to its vocabulary. Therefore, the ways of word derivation and word formation are researched carefully to expand the lexicon of language. The existence of a language system and its development are mainly due to the development of the word formation paradigm, the change in the existing types of word formation, and the increase or decrease in the proportion of their productivity. One of the effective ways of that is conversion which even does not need any suffix or prefix in creating new words.
The emergence of new words in the English language is carried out mainly in three ways: by borrowing from other languages; using various means of word formation (such as affixation, composition, conversion, etc), as a result of polysemy (the appearance of new, additional meanings in words already existing in the language). Word formation is “the richest source of new vocabulary in the language, and, as a result of this fact, is the object of close attention of scientists and linguists. [2.87–88]
The term “conversion” at the present stage of development of linguistics is understood as a “method of word formation without the use of special word formative affixes; a kind of transposition, in which the transposition of a word from one part of speech is used without any material change as a representative of another part of speech”. [3.33] Some researchers also use terms such as the non-affixing or root method of word formation.
Conversion as a linguistic phenomenon interested philologists as early as the first half of the 19th century (the beginning of the study of this method of word formations associated with the work of J. Greenwood and G.Sweet).
Conversion is customarily understood as “…the change in the part of speech of a form without any overt affix marking the change” as such, it has traditionally been regarded as particularly widespread in English in comparison with other languages with other word formation processes. The virtual unanimity in the definition of this concept is, however, not paralleled by the actual term given to it. “Conversion,” “functional shift,” “zero derivation,” and several variants of these have at one or the other time competed to name this process. Such different terms as the above only the result of various perspectives from which the same process can be contemplated, and arguments for and against every one of them can be accordingly found. Thus, for example, “functional shift” is preferred in some references because it readily mirrors the adoption of new syntactic capacities by converted units. Explicit as this term is from the syntactic point of view, it also has to be admitted that, as pointed out by Tournier, it rather overlooks complete lack of change in the derivational morphology of the word that is proper to conversion, while focusing on a syntactic property common to other parallel but still clearly different word formation processes like, for example, suffixation. An opposite view is apparently held by other authors, who prefer to use the term “zero derivation” instead, thus laying emphasis on the morphological dimensions of the process, i.e., indicating that no morphological variation occurs under this operation and, by contrast, somehow overshadowing the new syntactic capacities of this units. This latter term has been particularly wide spread, probably it parallels other word formation patterns which involve word class change and thus fits an orderly structure of word-formation processes. [1.181] However, the most frequent term for this operation has clearly been “conversion.” Certain objections to it, have sometimes been raised, for example, by Adams, who rejects this term on the grounds that it may be understood, rather than as the adoption of new syntactic capacities, as implying a complete loss of the original identity of the word, like in the noun stimulant, nowadays hardly an adjective. Similarly, as pointed out by Lipka, it has sometimes also been proposed that the use of the term “conversion” he avoided in strictly synchronic approaches. However, current practice shows that, more often than not, this term occurs regardless of any diachronic consideration. [1.182] One way or the other, all these terms coincide in describing the operation by a lexical unit gains access to syntactic functions habitually realized by members of a word-class different than the one which that unit originally belonged, like in the following examples, where nouns become verbs, and verbs become respectively: (1) My boss faxed a letter which was very important. (2) Jimmy had a look at his toys and began crying as his plane was missing. (3) He told himself that all men are cowards when it came to a showdown with a woman.
No less difficult is the question of the types of conversion, as well as the classification of its components. In lexicology, there are four main types of conversion according to the belonging of components to certain parts of speech and, accordingly, four conversion models:
- Verbalization (the formation of the verb). This type represents the semantic transformation of the “object” — the “action associated with this object”: flower (the type of a plant which is often brightly coloured with a pleasant smell) — to flower (to blossom, to develop completely); water (a clear liquid, without colour or taste, which falls from sky and is necessary for animal and plant life) — to water (to pour water on to plants or the soil that they are growing in); an elbow (the part in the middle of an arm where it bends) — to elbow (to push someone with your elbow);
- Substantivation (formation of nouns). The semantic transformation of an “action” is being implemented — the “object as a result of an action”; to look (to direct your eyes in order to see) — look (when you look at someone or something); to sleep (to be in the state of rest when your eyes are closed, your body is not active, and your mind is unconscious) — sleep (the resting state)
- Adjectivation (formation of adjectives). The model expresses the semantic transformation of the “subject” into “characteristic phenomenon of the subject”; christian (someone who believes in Jesus Christ) — christian(relating to christianity); granny (grandmother)- granny(means having the style like those worn by old woman)
- Adverbialization (education of adverbs). At the present level of development of the language system, this type is not productive due to the presence of the –ly suffix in the language. The most productive type of conversion is substantivation, and the formation of nouns from adjectives is much more common than their formation from verbs. Next comes verbalization with the frequency realization of the linking “nounverb”. The least productive are adjectival and adverbialization conversion types.
According to the degree of transfer of meaning, researchers distinguish two conversion classes: transposable and word-formation (lexical) In a transposable conversion, the denotative component of the word does not change, but only the syntactic function changes.
The basis sign of conversion as a process of the word education is the emergence of a new lexeme with lexical and grammatical content. The peculiarity of this phenomenon is the fact that there is a rethinking of the rotation of the meaning of the word- basis and its consideration in another aspect. However, one can not but agree with the fact that the word, which appeared as a result of a conversion, includes a certain semantic area of the original word-basis.
In conclusion, there are a great number of ways to expand the number of words in any language, say, adopting words from other languages, through the way of derivation, forming words and so on. Conversion is one of the most effective ways in enriching the lexicon of English language which makes it expressive. This way does not need any change to the word which makes creating new words elementary without difficulties. Among the types of conversion such as, verbalization, substantivation, adjectivation, adverbialization the type of substantivation is the most fruitful way which is seen in making nouns from different forms of speech like verbs, adjectives, etc. So, being aware of the way of conversion helps any kind of learner of English to be an eloquent speaker who express their opinion with the help of various words and word combination.
References:
- Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses 12 (1999) p. 181–182
- Zikova I. V. Practical course in English lexicology.(2007) p.87–88
- Kubryakova E. S., Gireyev V. A. Conversion in modern English language.(2002) p.33
