实用英语词汇学 3 .ppt

Conversion Affixation----prefixation Conversion What is conversion? Types of conversion What is conversion? Conversion is a word formation process whereby a word of certain part of speech is shifted to another part of speech without the addition of an affix. It’s also called “derivation by zero suffix. e.g. attack us---- launch an attack on us invade us----launch an invasion on us The word sometimes undergoes semantic change. e.g. mushroom The word sometimes undergoes phonological change. e.g. conduct, permit; house, close The free interchange of a word from one part of speech to another is a significant feature of modern English. Very rich 10.5% Productive e.g. to plan a table---to table a plan to book a place---to place a book The second round of the boxing was exciting. Any round plate will do. Some drivers round corners too rapidly. The sound goes round and round. He lives round the corner. Types of conversion:noun →verb; verb→noun Noun to verb conversion: most productive Reasons: More nouns than verbs in English to radio, to zerox, to tape, to x-ray, to videotape Fewer verb suffixes be-, en-, -ify, -ize, -en; vacuumclean, housekeep Noun to verb conversion Semantically related to the original nouns in a variety of ways. 1. To put in/on N The workers canned the apples. (bottle, floor, pocket, cage, shelve) 2. To give N or to provide with N They shelter the orphans. (coat, fuel, sugar, label, finance, oil, butter) 3. To remove N from Bill weeded the garden. (juice, dust, skin, peel) 4. To do …with N John braked the car. She fingered the silk. (screw, pump, nail, elbow, knife, x-ray, shoulder) 5. To be or act as N e.g. She mothered the orphan. 1) nurse, boss, pilot, referee, captain e.g. Tom parroted what the boss had said. 2) ape, monkey, dog, wolf, kitten e.g. The police shadowed the suspected spy. 3) flood, ghost, mushroom, snowball 6. To change or make…into N e.g. Please cash this