Lê Văn Thành

Trần Thị Ngọc Anh

Nguyễn Thị hà phương

Bùi thị thu Trang

Phan Nữ Huyền Thương

Nguyễn Thị Diệu Thuý

Phạm Thị Ánh

1 Definition and characteristic
features

2 Traditionnal and occasional conversion :

3 Partial conversion:

4 Substantivation :
• Definition (functional change or zero derivational): A
morphological process to create a new word without
the use of affixational by simply assigning an already
existing word to a new syntatic category (restricted to
unsuffixed words).

E.g:

Work (v) Work (N)


Lecture (N) To lecture (V)
Hand (N)  To hand
To drop out (V)  To drop out (N)
To go (V) A go (N)

Up (Pre) To up (V)

• Characteristic :
- Conversion may be said to be the most productive in
forming verbs.

e.g. Arm → to arm

Elbow → to elbow
Foot → to foot
Bottle → to bottle
Honeymoon → to honeymoon

- Conversion has a wide - spread development in English.

• Characteristic :
Conversion may be said to be the most productive in
forming verbs.

e.g. Arm → to arm

Elbow → to elbow
Foot → to foot
Bottle → to bottle
Honeymoon → to honeymoon
• The difference between the words in each pair of conversion is
morphological, syntactic and semantic
• Morphological: the change of word’s forms.

e.g. A new paradigm (the system of forms) of the verb “to hand “ :
Hand - handed - handing

• Syntactic: the change of word's function.

e.g. The new function of “to hand “ in “he handed me the watch “

• Semantic: the change of meaning

e.g. Hand : a part of body

But to hand : to give, to pass sth to...
a. Traditional conversion: the type of conversion commonly and
traditionally used by the public and are recorded in dictionaries.

e.g. Up → to up
Skin → to skin

b. Occasional conversion: refers to the individual use of

conversion in special situation, occasion, to express one’s
idea vividly, humorously etc

e.g.
“Chi Pheo “ in “a Chi Pheo “
“Thi Mau “ in “Thi Mau grievance “
a. the building of some nouns from verbs. These nouns usually go with
verbs like “have, take; make “to form verbal phrases.

• They are not used independently :

e.g. Have a look / talk / smoke etc.

Give a ring / kick / blow etc.

b. Some others nouns are used only in idiomatic phrases

e.g to be in the know : belonging to a small group of people who know the
truth
about a particular person or situation.
In the long run: with regard to the far / near future.

By the book: exactly according to the rules.

a call of nature : a need to go the toilet.
a. Definition: the formation of nouns from adjectives without adding
any element. In other words, it’s the transition into nouns.

e.g. Native → a native; 2 natives; the native.

( fe )male → a ( fe )male; 2 ( fe )males; the ( fe )male

b. Kinds of substantiation :

- Substantiation from ellipsis :

e.g. Daily newspaper → a daily

Elastic cord → and elastic

- Partial substantiation :

e.g. Rich → the rich

Poor → the poor
Happy → the happy
Blind → the blind
Good → the good