8. Derivation

Derivation consists in making up new words by adding endings to some root morpheme. We can distinguish two types of derivation: affixation and conversion.

All morphemes which are not roots are affixes. In English all the productive affixes are either attached at the end of the stem (suffixes), or at the front of the stem (prefixes).

We can think of a root as a nuclear of the derivation (ex.: uninhabitableness. The stem is “habit”. “In-“ must be added first, then “un-“ in front of the whole formation because “un-“ is attached only to adjectives. The second stage is suffix –“able”. And the final stage is suffix “ness” which can make a noun from an adjective).

9. Frequency and productivity of affixes

By productive affixes we mean the ones, which take part in deriving new words in this particular period of language development. The best way to identify productive affixes is to look for them among neologisms and so-called nonce-words, i.e. words coined and used only for this particular occasion. (unputdownable thriller (захватывающий триллер)). One should not confuse the productivity of affixes with their frequency of occurrence (случая).

11. Conversion

Conversion is the process of coining a new word in a different part of speech without adding any derivative element, so that the basic form both of the original and derived words are homonymous.

E.g.: We don’t have any doubt it’s correct. (n.) We don’t doubt that it’s correct. (v.); My account is overdrawn. (n.) I can’t account for where the money went. (v.)

It is the context that shows whether a word is to be taken as a noun or as a verb.

Conversion can be described as a morphological way of forming words. Conversion may be considered to be the predominant (преобладающий) method of English verb-formation.

Verbs converted from nouns - denominal verbs.

The semantic relations btwn the nouns and verbs very greatly. If the noun refers to some object of reality (animate or inanimate (неодушевленный)) the converted verb may denote:

Action characteristic of the object: butcher n. – butcher v. to kill animals for food, cut up (разрезать) a killed animal;

Instrumental use of the object: whip n. – whip v. To strike with a whip;

Acquisition (приобретение) or addition of the object: fish n. – fish v. to catch fish;

Deprivation (лишение) of the object: dust n. – dust v. to remove dust from something.

Nouns converted from verbs - deverbal substantives (сущ.).

The converted nouns may denote:

Instance of the action: jump n. – v. jump “sudden spring (прыгание) from the ground”

Agent of the action: bore n. – v. bore “a person that bores”

Place of the action: drive n. – v. drive “a path or road along which one drives”

Object or result of the action: peel n. – v. peel “the outer skin of fruit or potatoes taken off”

Traditional conversion refers to the accepted use of words which are recorded in dictionaries, e. g. to age, to cook. The individual or occasional use of conversion is also very frequent, it serves to bring out (выявить) the more vivid (ясное) meaning in a given context only (e. g. when his guests had been washed, mended brushed and brandied).