In this work the author will give a short extract of important theories dedicated to the phenomenon of conversion. The author will present the theory of Marchand, who believes in conversion as a process of zero-derivation. In addition to that the theory of metonymical extension by Rene Dirven will be introduced. As a contrast the theories of linguists such as Hockett and Koziol will be analysed, which see conversion as a state and not as a process. They apply to conversion as multifunctionality. The author will emphasize conversion as a process and consequently will illustrate a directionality of conversion. On the basis of the words "mountain" and "saw" of the OED the source word and target word will be detected. In order to prove the directionality of conversion their individual semantics by the semantic criteria of Marchand will be analysed.
At first sight conversion as a linguistic subject seems to be unproblematic and simple. On the surface it can be defined as a phenomenon of linguistics in which certain words are created by changing the lexical category of another word with no obvious change of its external form. In this way conversion creates verbs from nouns, nouns from verbs, and even verbs from adjectives.
However, conversion is not as simple as it seems. It is a linguistic phenomenon, which occurs above all in the English Language. There is a high extent of words in English texts, which belong to several word classes. Even though the phenomenon of conversion has such a high presence within the English language, linguists worldwide have not yet found an agreement about its definition. Several different and contradictory definitions exist within the literature of linguistics. There are various opinions of linguists, in which field Conversion should be included.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theories of conversion
2.1 Marchand: Zero derivation
2.2 Dirven: Metonymical extension
2.3 Multifunctionality
3 The directionality of conversion
4 Analysis of Words of the OED
4.1 'mountain'
4.2 'saw'
5 Conclusion
6 References
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper investigates the linguistic phenomenon of conversion, focusing on the theoretical debate regarding its nature as either a derivational process or a static state. The primary research goal is to demonstrate that conversion is a directional process by applying Hans Marchand’s semantic criteria to selected lexical examples from the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).
- The theoretical foundations of conversion (zero-derivation, metonymy, and multifunctionality).
- The challenge of determining the directionality of conversion between word classes.
- The application of synchronic semantic criteria to identify source and target words.
- A comparative analysis of the nouns and verbs 'mountain' and 'saw'.
Excerpt from the Book
Marchand
One of the most well-known theories of Conversion is the assumption of Hans Marchand. He is of the opinion that conversion is a process of zero-derivation. In this respect a word belongs to one basic word class, but can be functionally transposed to other word classes. This means that the word stays in its original word class, but also has a membership of another one. Hence, words can belong to several word classes. (Engl. Morph 184) Even though the phenomenon of conversion has such a high presence within the English Language, linguists worldwide have not yet found an agreement about its definition. Several different and contradictory definitions exist within the literature of Linguistics. There are various opinions of linguists, in which field Conversion should be included. Most of them believe it is a process of Morphology., while others claim it is part of word-formation, syntax or semantics.
According to Balteiro, the group of Linguists, who deal with Conversion, are divided into two separate groups. There are linguists, who believe Conversion is a derivational process and those, who believe it is not a derivational process.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the phenomenon of conversion and outlines the linguistic debate surrounding its definition and categorization.
2 Theories of conversion: This section details major theoretical approaches, including Marchand’s zero-derivation, Dirven’s metonymical extension, and the theory of multifunctionality.
3 The directionality of conversion: This chapter explores why identifying the direction of conversion is essential and presents seven semantic criteria for determining the source and target of a converted word.
4 Analysis of Words of the OED: This chapter applies the previously defined criteria to the words 'mountain' and 'saw' to verify their directionality.
5 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that while conversion is generally a directional process, certain cases present analytical complexities.
6 References: This section lists the primary academic literature and internet resources used in the study.
Keywords
Conversion, zero-derivation, metonymy, multifunctionality, directionality, linguistics, Marchand, semantics, word-formation, morphology, Oxford English Dictionary, source word, target word, lexical category, synchronic analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper examines the linguistic process of conversion, which is defined as the creation of words by changing the lexical category of a term without altering its external form.
What are the primary theoretical themes discussed?
The core themes include the debate over whether conversion is a derivational process or a static state, covering theories like zero-derivation, metonymical extension, and multifunctionality.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to prove that conversion is a directional process by identifying the relationship between source words and their derived target words using semantic criteria.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a qualitative, theory-based approach, utilizing Marchand's seven semantic criteria to perform a synchronic analysis of specific vocabulary items from the OED.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines various linguists' definitions of conversion, explores the necessity of establishing directionality, and conducts a practical application of these theories using the examples 'mountain' and 'saw'.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
The work is best characterized by terms such as conversion, zero-derivation, metonymy, directionality, and synchronic semantic analysis.
How does Marchand’s theory of zero-derivation explain conversion?
Marchand posits that a word keeps its original category but gains membership in another, effectively acting as a derivational process marked by a zero-morpheme.
How does the author analyze the word 'mountain'?
The author identifies 'mountain' as a denominal verb, concluding that the noun functions as the source word while the verb serves as the target word based on its semantic dependence.
Why is the analysis of the word 'saw' considered more difficult?
Unlike 'mountain', 'saw' presents mutual semantic dependence between the noun and the verb, making it difficult to definitively assign a direction of derivation using standard criteria.
What does the conclusion suggest about the generalizability of these criteria?
The conclusion suggests that while semantic criteria are highly effective for most cases, exceptions like 'saw' highlight the complexity of linguistic conversion, though they do not invalidate the general theoretical principles.
- Citation du texte
- Katharina Pangritz (Auteur), 2012, Conversion. A directional process, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/511786
