Transcript Conversion

Chapter 4
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Conversion
Conversion
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Definition
Examples
She singled him out at once as a possible
victim.
He elbowed forward through the crowd.
It was a beautiful win.
Conversion
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Definition
Examples
She singled him out at once as a possible
victim. (adj→v)
He elbowed forward through the crowd.
(n→v)
It was a beautiful win. (v→n)
Conversion
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Conversion is to use words of one class as
those of different classes.
Conversion is the change of word-class in
actual use.
Other names:
functional shift = change of functions
zero-derivation = derivation by adding
zero affix
Conversion
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Continental quilts simplify bed-making.
(simple → simple + -ify)
She singled him out at once as a possible
victim.
(single →single)
Conversion
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Conversion involves mainly three classes of
words:
nouns
verbs
adjectives.
Conversion
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1. Conversion to N (nouns)
V to N
(1) State (of mind or sensation)
He has a deep love for his country.
(2) Event or activity
The class has decided to have a swim in
the afternoon.
Conversion
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(3) Result of the action
The fishermen were very happy to have
a good catch this time.
(4) Doer of the action
The boy is such a bore. It seems he
never speaks.
(5) Tool or instrument to do the action with
Better hammer the nail in.
Conversion
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(6) Place of the action
This road is dangerous, for it has many
sharp turns.
Conversion
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Phrasal verbs to N (nouns)
hand out 分发
hand-out 施舍物/印刷品
stand by 旁观
stand-by 备用(人员/物)
lay by 储存/备用 lay-by 路侧停车处
shut down关闭
shut-down 关闭
right-branching
Conversion
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Phrasal verbs to N (nouns)
break out
outbreak
fall down
downfall
flow over
overflow
cry out
outcry
left-branching
Conversion
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A to N
(1) Full conversion
common adjectives
a white
a liberal
drinkables
necessaries
participles and others
a drunk
newly-weds
bests
worsts
Conversion
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Characteristics:
An adjective is treated as a common noun.
It can be changed into singular by taking
article a or into plural forms by taking -s.
Conversion
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(2) Partial conversion
the poor, the poorer, the poorest
the more affluent, the most corrupt
In partial conversion, an adjective functions
as a noun but it keeps the adjective
features:
A. it should be used with the article the;
B. it can be used in different degrees.
Conversion
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Examples:
Come to the fire and have a warm.
Poor innocents!
The old man is the poorest among the poor.
The young should not look down upon the
old.
Conversion
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Miscellaneous conversion
Would you like a with or a without?
(preposition)
Better to be an also-ran than a never-was.
(past form)
His argument contains too many ifs and
buts.
(conjunction)
Conversion
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Life is full of ups and downs.
(particles)
Rubber gloves are a must if your skin is
sensitive to washing powders.
(modal verb)
Patriotisms, nationalisms, and any other
isms you'd like to name.
(suffix)
Conversion
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2. Conversion to V (verbs)
N to V
Seven types of meaning of V converted
from N:
(1) To put in or on N
The thief was pocketing the money
from the drawer when the host came in.
(to put the money into the pocket)
Conversion
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(2) To give N or to provide with N
Now the scientists are busy fueling the
rocket.
(to provide the rocket with fuel)
(3) To remove N from
The monkey knows how to peel
bananas before eating them.
(to remove the peel from bananas)
Conversion
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(4) To do with N
People there have to pump water from
deep wells.
(to get water with pumps)
(5) To be or act as N
Each supervisor tutors three postgraduate students.
(to act as tutors)
Conversion
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(6) To make or change into N
You can fool some of the people all the
time, and all the people some of the
time, but you cannot fool all the people
all the time. (Loncoln)
(to change them into fools)
Conversion
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(7) To send or go by N
Bush helicoptered to Irag stealthily.
(to go by helicopter)
The goods will be shipped to Shanghai.
(to send by ship)
All the verbs converted from nouns are
transitive except type (7), which includes
intransitive use.
Conversion
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suffix (v)
The function of the bound morphemes
when suffixed to nominals…
To noun the process, …
Conversion
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A to V
Meaning of verbs converted:
He walked carefully so as not to wet his
shoes.
(to make …wet) vt
The photograph yellowed with age.
(to become yellow) vi
Conversion
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Two men carrying a wooden keg emptied
its contents into the opening.
The play was over and the auditorium
began to empty.
Most verbs converted from A can be used
both transitively and intransitively.
Transitive verbs are not many and
intransitive verbs are few.
Conversion
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Miscellaneous conversion
The intellectuals are muched again.
(adverb to V)
We downed a few beers.
(particle to V)
She will off and do her own thing.
(Particle to V)
Conversion
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But me no buts.
(conjunction to V)
The engineers ahed and ouched at the new
car.
(Onamatopeic word to V)
Conversion
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3. Changes
Changes are few, but the few changes are
found mainly in pronunciation and spelling.
(1) Voiceless to voiced consonant
Noun
Verb
house /-s/
house /-z/
use /-s/
use /-z/
mouth /-θ/
mouth /-ð/
shelf /-f/
shelve /-v/
heath /-θ/
sheathe /-ð/
Conversion
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(2) Vowel change
Noun
Verb
breath /e θ / breathe /i: ð /
bath /α: θ / bathe /ei ð /
Conversion
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(3) Initial to end stress
Noun
Verb
`conduct
con`duct
`extract
ex`tract
`permit
per`mit