Page 319 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Unit 24: Word-Formation: Derivation, Inflection

In both the sentences word ‘record’ refers to different grammatical categories. In the first sentence Notes
is acts as a noun, however, in the second sentence it functions as a verb. Here no affixes have been
added to the word and yet we have an entirely new lexical word. Such process of word formations
is called conversion or zero derivation (as no derivational affixes have been added).
Though conversion appears to be an entirely different process of word formation, but it shares few
characteristics of derivation.
1. Like derivation, once an inflectional affix has been added to a word, it cannot undergo
conversion.
2. Just like derivation, conversion too changes the grammatical category of the word.
3. Similar to derivation, a new word formed by conversion has its independent grammatical
paradigm depending upon the grammatical category it falls into.
An important point to think about is how to know whether verb ‘record’ has been converted into
noun ‘record’ or vice versa. We can say that root word is always the primary nature or the
meaning of word. The word ‘record’ is primarily is verb therefore the conversion is the noun
‘record.’
Classifying Case of Conversion

For the classification of conversion we can use the same pattern as we used in the case of derivation.
1. Conversion to Noun:
(i) Conversion to Noun from Verb: This conversion shows the quality of verb in terms on
noun. For example, noun denotes the agent of action -cheat, rebel, spy, spy, etc., a single
instance of action -attack, laugh, murder, etc.
(ii) Conversion of Noun from Adjectives: When a definite article is put before almost any
adjective it become a plural noun, for example, the rich, the high, the poor, etc. Apart from
this another convesion of noun from adjectives are in words like criminal, noble, intellectual,
etc., and also daily, weekly, and monthly in case of newspaper. These adjective turned
nouns show the complete property of noun.
2. Conversion of Verb:
(i) Conversion to Verb from Noun: Examples are to queue, to parade to pocket, to butte,r etc.
(ii) Conversion to Verbs from Adjectives: Common examples are ‘to slim’, ‘to dirty’, etc.
3. Conversion to Adjectives: Nouns are used in modifying functions like adjective. Examples are
‘a brick house’, ‘a gold chain’, etc.

24.4 Compounding
Compounding is the process of word formation which involves two or more free morphemes. As
these morphemes are free they also can be considered as free individual words. Not all words can
combine to form a compound word. There are different approaches toward the theory of
compounding.
The Syntactic Approach
According to this approach, two words compounds can be divided in to three categories, wherein
noun, adjective and verb take second position. Apart of these three grammatical categories no
other word can come at second position (with few exceptions of particles like out, up, etc.). Noun
compounds are those in which noun takes the second position and combine with noun, adjective
and verb to form new words. Examples are:
Noun + Noun (girl friend, ice-cream)
Adjective + Noun (darkroom, blackboard)
Verb + Noun (breakfast)

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