CONVERSION AS A METHOD OF WORD FORMATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

The English language is continuously enriched with new words. According to R. Burchfield, 800 new English words appear on average per year. The lexical composition of the language is open, changeable and mobile. The word-formation processes help to get new words. New words are formed in accordance with the words existing in a particular language, presented in the form of samples. These samples are considered as word-formation models. Conversion is one of four main methods in forming words.

Keywords: new words, word formation, conversion, English language.

There is a huge number of languages in our world. Each language is unique by nature, it makes you surprise, admire, and also constantly continuously study. In addition to the fact that languages differ from each other, they are also constantly changing. That means that they live and grow together with us, in real life. Some words become obsolete, new ones appear. The process of forming new words is similar in many languages. This article is devoted to one of the most interesting methods of forming new words. This method is called conversion.

Every year, the language is replenished with new words, introduced into the official dictionaries and expanding the vocabulary of the language. Nowadays, the English language is enriched with new words. In English, according to R. Burchfield, about 800 new words appear on average per year.

The lexical composition of the language is open. It is changeable and mobile, it reacts to what is happening in the modern world. The need for new words is satisfied by processes of formation of words.

New words are formed, as a rule, in accordance with the words existing in a particular language, presented in the form of so-called samples. Such samples are considered as word-formation models.

V.V. Eliseeva is a well-known scientist and the author in the sphere of lexicology. According to her works, in the word-formation system of modern English, the following basic ways for forming words are distinguished: prefixation, suffixation, compounding, abbreviation, conversion [3, p. 35].

Prefixation is “the process of forming new words by adding a prefix to stem of a word” [2, p. 31].

In suffixation there is a suffix which is ​​added to the base of a word.

Compounding is a method where the bases of two or three words are added together. As a result of this process, a compound word is formed. For example, blackboard.

Abbreviation is “cutting off a part of the stem, which coincides with the word or is a phrase united by a common meaning” [3, p. 38]. For example, doc - doctor, BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation.

Conversion is “a way of forming new words, in which the external form does not change, but the word passes into another category in a grammatical sence, acquiring new functions and a new meaning” [1, p. 72].

There are four main types of conversion: verbalization; substantiation (formation of nouns); adjectivation (formation of adjectives); adverbalization (formation of adverbs).

Linguist M. Bizet presents this conversion classification in the form of models:

• Model "noun - verb"– the most common productive conversion model: color - to color; fire - to fire; back-stroke - to back-stroke; lesion - to lesion; to amazon; to starbuck; to leaflet; to butterfly; to summit.

• Model "adjective-verb", "interjection/adverb-verb". The group of verbs formed from adjectives is not so numerous: yellow - to yellow; free - to free; dirty - to dirty; empty - to empty; tidy - to tidy. Models "interjection / adverb - verb" are unproductive: near - to near; further - to further.

• Verb-noun model. The group of verbal nouns in modern English is quite big: to hunt - hunt; to knock - knock; to look - look.

• Adjective-noun model: rich – the rich, blind – the blind, dead – the dead.

• Noun-adjective model. For example, umbrella - umbrella (umbrella - similar to an umbrella); granny - granny (old lady - in the old manners).

• Other models with adverbs, adjectives, pronouns and numerals do not show high activity: altogether, adv - the altogether, n (generally, wholly - totality, whole); interconnect, v - interconnect, adj (connect - relating to the interconnection of phones with a common network).

It is appropriate to note that in the newly formed word meanings often develop that are only indirectly related to the base word. For example, in the pair to hit - a hit, one can observe an interesting development of the meaning in the noun. As a result of a number of transfers and rethinking of the meaning, a hit has come to mean success or something that has success.

The English language is in constant change and dynamics. Vocabulary is sensitive to all changes in the social, cultural and other spheres of life. Any changes are reflected in the lexical composition, different meanings are added. During conversion, the content of the concept is enriched (new semes are added). Thus, we can say that conversion deserves attention and study.

References:

1. Bochkareva T.S. Fundamentals of the theory of the language being studied. Theoretical grammar of the English language. Lexicology. - Orenburg: GOU OGU, 2004. – 357 p.
2. Dubenets E.M. Lexicology of modern English: lectures and seminars. Handbook for students of humanitarian universities. - M .: "Glossa-Press", 2002. – 369 p.
3. Eliseeva V.V. Lexicology of the English language. - St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg State University, 2003. – 224 p.
4. Macmillan Dictionary. Available: http://www.macmillanddictionary.com
5. Online Etymology Dictionary. Available: http://www.etymonline.com