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Inlinguistics,conversion, also calledzero derivation ornull derivation, is a kind ofword formation involving the creation of a word (of a newpart of speech) from an existing word (of a different part of speech) without any change in form,[1] which is to say,derivation using onlyzero. For example, thenoungreen in golf (referring to a putting-green) is derived ultimately from theadjectivegreen.
Conversions from adjectives to nouns and vice versa are both very common and unnotable in English; much more remarked upon is the creation of averb by converting a noun or other word (for example, the adjectiveclean becomes the verbto clean).
Verbification, orverbing, is the creation of a verb from a noun, adjective or other word.
In English, verbification typically involves simple conversion of a non-verb to a verb. The verbsto verbify andto verb, the first byderivation with anaffix and the second byzero derivation, are themselves products of verbification (seeautological word), and, as might be guessed, the termto verb is often used more specifically, to refer only to verbification that does not involve a change inform. (Verbing in that specific sense is therefore a kind ofanthimeria.)
Many adjectives have become verbs, including adjectives based on Latin passive participles, such as "separate". Usually, at least now, there is a pronunciation difference between the adjective and the verb. (Later this was extended to forming verbs from Latin passive participles even if they were not used as adjectives.)[2][3]
Examples of verbification in the English language number in the thousands, including some of the most common words such asmail ande-mail,strike,salt,pepper,switch,bed,sleep,ship,train,stop,drink,cup,lure,mutter,dress,dizzy,divorce,fool,merge, to be found throughout thedictionary. Thus, verbification is by no means confined toslang and has furnished English with countless new expressions: "access", as in "access the file", which was previously only a noun, as in "gain access to the file". Similar mainstream examples include "host", as in "host a party", and "chair", as in "chair the meeting". Other formations, such as "gift", are less widespread but still mainstream.
Verbification may have a bad reputation with some English users because it is such a potent source ofneologisms. Although some neologism that are products of verbification may meet considerable opposition fromprescriptivist authorities (the verb sense ofimpact is a well-known example), most such derivations have become so central to the language after several centuries of use that they no longer draw notice.
In many cases, the verbs were distinct from their noun counterparts inOld English, and regular sound change has made them the same form: these can bereanalysed as conversion
InToki Pona, any content word may function as a noun, verb or adjective depending on syntax; for example,moku may meanfood orto eat.
Many English nouns are formed from unmodified verbs: a fisherman'scatch, to go for awalk,etc.[4] A modern case of noun conversion through zero derivation in slang frompopular culture might be seen incringe, in the noun sense of "awkwardness, inducement ofsecond-hand embarrassment".
Verbification is sometimes used to createnonce words or joking words. Often, simple conversion is involved, as with formations likebeer, as inbeer me ("give me a beer") andeye, as ineye it ("look at it").[clarification needed] Sometimes, a verbified form can occur with a prepositional particle, e.g.,sex as insex it up ("make it sexier").
ACalvin and Hobbes strip dealing with this phenomenon concluded with the statement that "Verbing weirds language",[5] demonstrating the verbing of bothverb andweird. (The former appears in its use as agerund.)
